How you got involved in the military: Mason, who grew up in Virginia, joined the ROTC program at the University of Virginia to pay for school and to secure a job when he finished school. He was selected for a pilot slot in the Air Force and started flying in a pre-Undergraduate Pilot Training Program. While he enjoyed flying, he decided to pursue medicine and dentistry. He went to the Medical College of Virginia under the Health Professional Scholarship Program with the Air Force. After two residencies, six different bases, and 10 years, he was assigned to run the Pediatric Dental Program at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. He recently joined the Air Force Reserves.
What actions he performed: While in the Air Force, Mason was responsible for the oral health care for all dependent patients from infant to 18 years old as well as the special needs patients of any age. He noted that some of his patients came quite a distance to see him. As one of only 14 pediatric dental surgeons in the Air Force, he stayed pretty busy.
The most satisfying part of his work: Mason noted he enjoys seeing children that were previously scared of the dentist come running in to the clinic, give the staff an exuberant high five, and then open their mouths really wide as they brag about how clean they are keeping their teeth.
The most memorable moment of service: For most of 2011, Mason was deployed to the Middle East to support the war on terrorism. Instead of treating children on an Air Force base, he was treating Marines, Army and Air Force personnel serving there.
“Some had put up with a lot of pain for weeks as they hiked through villages until they could get to us,” he noted.
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