ANZI, Morocco – Inside a green canvas military tent, U.S. Air Force Maj. Kyle Sansom, assigned to the 151st Medical Group, Utah Air National Guard, prepares to perform a tooth extraction.
The medical tent is part of a fully operational field hospital established by U.S. and Moroccan forces during African Lion 2025 (AL25), a large-scale multinational training event held April 14-May 23 designed to enhance military readiness and strengthen partnerships across North and West Africa.
Sansom, a general dentist, is one of several U.S. military providers offering essential dental care to local Moroccans near the rural town of Anzi during the humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) event.
The importance of HCA in AL25's real-world application of readiness and partnership objectives is to provide critical health care to the Moroccan people while strengthening interoperability, building trust with local communities and preparing forces for complex contingencies.
"This is my first African Lion trip," Sansom said. "Everything has exceeded my expectations—from the food to the environment, to the people, to the other military members. It's been a really good experience."
The field hospital has 18 areas, including dermatology, orthopedics and pediatrics.
Sansom and the dental team use portable dental chairs, suction units, high- and low-speed handpieces, lighting and sterilization tools. These setups allow dental providers to deliver high-quality treatment in remote and under-resourced areas.
"The care we're providing is mostly fillings and extractions," Sansom said. "If a tooth is restorable, we'll do a filling. But if it's infected or broken down, we must extract it. It may seem simple, but to someone in pain, it can be life-changing."
For many patients treated during the mission, these services are otherwise out of reach. In the rural regions of Morocco, residents often live hours from the nearest medical facility.
"As dentists, we feel fortunate to have skills that are needed in places like this," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Anderson, the HCA dental lead, also assigned to the 151st Medical Group. "We've been lucky to bring some incredible providers with us, including a pediatric dentist and an oral surgeon. We have been able to treat thousands of patients efficiently."
Among the many patients treated at the field dental clinic, a mother and her young daughter stood out during the day's operations.
The mother had a cavity in one of her front teeth and initially believed it would need to be extracted. After an examination, the dental team determined the tooth could be restored with a filling. The procedure was completed successfully, closing the visible hole in the tooth.
While the mother received care, her daughter waited nearby. Sansom engaged with the child using simple magic tricks, which helped ease her anxiety and brought a smile to her face. The interaction demonstrated how the dental team provided clinical care and personal attention to help patients feel comfortable throughout their treatment.
"Working with our Moroccan counterparts has been a real highlight," Sansom said. "They've brought great energy and expertise, and we've collaborated on several complex cases. It's been an enriching experience."
Language differences posed challenges, but well-trained interpreters were embedded with the medical team to bridge the gap. While patients spoke Arabic, French or Berber dialects, U.S. personnel worked closely with local translators and the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) to ensure patients understood their procedures and were comfortable throughout treatment.
U.S. military and FAR dental providers collaborate daily inside the field hospital, working side-by-side on patient care and sharing clinical techniques. For many service members, this cooperation is a powerful reminder of what multinational exercises are meant to achieve.
"In the six times I've been here, dental and optometry always seem to be the most sought-after services," Anderson said. "It's an amazing feeling to provide something that truly benefits the local people."
The field hospital experience doubles as valuable training for U.S. military medical personnel. Providers like Sansom gain experience in expeditionary operations, learning to adapt quickly to unfamiliar teams and settings while refining their ability to deliver care with limited resources.
"Getting familiar with this field of dental equipment is essential," Sansom said. "We could be called up at any moment to support our country in an emergency, and this experience prepares us for that."
As operations continue at the field hospital during AL25, the Airmen of the 151st Medical Group remain focused on their core mission: providing quality care, strengthening partnerships and maintaining readiness in a joint, multinational environment.
About African Lion
AL25, Africa's largest annual military exercise, brings together more than 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops, to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23 across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia. This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations—preparing forces to deploy, fight and win.