The lessons learned from the Spanish
American War highlighted the need for
the regular army to expand its wartime
force and provide sufficient medical
personnel to support service members
dating back to the Revolutionary War .
And until 1901 US soldiers were
responsible for their own dental care .
During the Spanish American War . In
1898 several dentists influential in
their civilian capacities and
affiliated with their respective States .
Militias or National Guards began
advocating for their expansion . This
paved the way for the establishment of
the US Army Reserve on April 23rd ,
1908 , the National
Defense Act of 1916 led to the
restructuring of the regular army and
the Army National Guard with expansion
and the creation of a federally
organized Reserve component . The
National Defense Act provided for the
organization of the US Army Reserve
Dental Corps in 1916 . To qualify as a
dental reservist . Applicants had to be
US citizens between the ages of 22 to
55 years old . A graduate of a
reputable dental college and a
practicing dentist in the state where
they live . The dentists were
commissioned as First Lieutenants with
a commitment of five years but were
only required to serve during wartime .
The National Defense Act also granted
states the authority to appoint dental
surgeons in the Army National Guard .
They maintained small dental staffs
during World war one . But Y Rs and
three Army National Guard divisions had
between 21 to 29 dentists on staff .
Additionally , in June , 1917 , African
Americans were eligible for the Medical
and dental Reserve Corps and would
serve in the 92nd and 93rd divisions .
Prior to that , an officer's commission
was not offered to African American
dentists or nurses . Today , the
options to serve in the US Army Reserve
Dental Corps include participation in
the traditional troop program unit ,
individual ready reserve or the Army
Medical Professional Management Command .
Additionally , a dentist can be
assigned as an individual mobilization
augment or I MA often resourced to fill
active duty positions through the
professional officer filler system .
The dental I MA court chief serves as
the senior dental staff officer at the
office of the Surgeon General Defense
Health Headquarters in Falls Church ,
Virginia and is the senior reserve
officer directed by the army dental
court chief . In 1957 Brigadier General ,
Thomas P Fox became the first drilling
individual mobilization augment dental
court chief and held the position until
1963 . Both the US Army National
Guard and the US Army Reserve Dental
Corps continued to provide services and
support during peacetime and wartime
assignments by deploying to combat
zones backfilling clinical facilities
and serving in humanitarian missions .
Army reserve and army National Guard
dentists admirably served during World
War two , the Korean War , the Vietnam
War , Desert Shield , Desert Storm and
the global war on terrorism , providing
emergency sustaining and far forward
dental care . The contributions of
these citizen soldiers exemplify their
spirit and their sacrifice as they
balance the demands of military service ,
civilian professional dental careers
and their families .