Army Dentistry History Resources

Ronald Silverman was commissioned as a 1^st lieutenant after receiving his dental degree from Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry in 1972. After three years of active-duty service as a general dentist at Ft. Belvoir, Va., Silverman enrolled in the Army Reserves and established a private practice in Alexandria, Va. He became the Dental DIMA/MOBDES (Drilling Individual Mobilization Augmentee/Mobile Dental Service) chief in 1994. In 1999, then COL Silverman was nominated for brigadier general. Five years later, in 2004, Silverman was nominated for promotion to major general. At the time, he was serving as commander of the 3d Medical Command in Decatur, Ga. In 2006, Silverman was selected to command medical operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the first time a dentist held such a command in a combat zone. He supervised more than 3,000 Soldiers at more than 30 hospitals, providing care for more than 150,000 personnel. During that time, medical operations achieved a 95 percent battle injury survival rate, the highest in the history of warfare. As part of his “routine” duties, Silverman fixed a broken tooth for captive Sadham Hussein.