Commander, Dental Health Command - Pacific
Colonel Paul M. Colthirst began his military career in June 1995 as a Basic Trainee at Fort Sill, OK. Upon completion of basic training, he attended the Advance Individual Training (AIT) Combat Medic Course and Medical Laboratory Technician Course at Fort Sam Houston, TX. In 1998, he received the Army Health Professional Scholarship to study Dentistry at Meharry Medical College. COL Colthirst completed dental school in 2002, after which he was assigned to the Fort Jackson Hagen Dental Clinic 1-year Advance Education in General Dentistry (AEGD-1) residency. Following the AEGD-1 Program, he was assigned to the 172nd STRYKER BCT at Fort Wainwright, AK where he assumed duties as the Brigade Dental Surgeon and subsequently deployed to Mosul, Iraq. COL Colthirst’s follow-on assignments include Dental Public Health Staff Officer, DENCOM HQ; Small Group Leader and Class Advisor for the AMEDD Advance Officer Course and Leader Development Branch; Chief of Oral Epidemiology at the Dental and Trauma Research Detachment; Deputy Director at the Tri-Service Center for Oral Health Studies, Commander, Fort Johnson (Polk) Dental Health Activity, Dental Staff Officer at the Office of The Surgeon General (OTSG), Fort Cavazos DENTAC Commander, and current Dental Health Command Pacific, Commander.
COL Colthirst holds a BS in Biology from Georgia Southern University, a MS in Dental Public Health and Epidemiology from the University of Iowa, a Doctor of Dental Surgery from Meharry Medical College, and a graduate of The Army War College (Master of Strategic Studies).
COL Colthirst is board certified in Dental Public Health and is the Consultant to the Army Surgeon General for Dental Public Health. He is a trained Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma process improvement and an Army RAND Arroyo Research Fellow, RAND Corporation. He also holds the Surgeon General’s “A” Proficiency Designator for excellence. His military education includes graduating from the Medical Management of Biological and Chemical Casualty Course; AMEDD Instructor Course; Intermediate Level Education Course; Army Medical Department Executive Skills Course; Defense Strategy Course, with the ASI Strategic Studies; Pre-Command Courses; the Interagency Institute for Healthcare Executives; and the Global Health Strategies and Security (GHSS) course, and the Medical Strategic Leadership Program (MSLP). COL Colthirst is the Army’s Regent for the International College of Dentists and has co-authored a book chapter in Military Medicine. He has published numerous peer reviewed research papers and military Technical Reports on Disease Non-Battle Injuries and military dentistry.
His Military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (3 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (4 OLC), Valorous Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award, Public Health Service Commendation Unit Ribbon, Public Health Service Citation Ribbon, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Military Outstanding Voluntary Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon. He is also a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit (O2M3)
COL Colthirst is married to Debra Colthirst and they both have two outstanding young men, Xaviar and Zachary.
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