Redesign of the Field Dental Bag to Accommodate Dental Instruments, Supplies, and the Battery Operated Dental Handpiece

Abstract : It is United States Marine Corps (USMC) policy for the corpsman to use the M-3 aid bag as an emergency dental kit. The USMC incorporated a dental handpiece into the kit, which mandated the design of a new dental bag. A prototype was designed by the U.S. Army Biomedical Research and Development Laboratory, which accommodates the handpiece and ancillary supplies. In addition, it has two pouches: one for exploratory instruments and one for surgical instruments. All metal fixtures and zippers were replaced with plastic ones, the position of the carrying strap was moved to improve stability, and short handles were added to the sides. This design was accepted by the USMC, and a technical drawing package was furnished to them.