Fernando E. Rodríguez Vargas
Fernando E. Rodríguez Vargas was a notable Puerto Rican dentist and military officer, recognized for his significant contributions to dental medicine. Born in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, he pursued his education at the University of Puerto Rico and later obtained a doctorate in dental surgery from Georgetown University. Rodríguez Vargas conducted research primarily focused on dental cavities, particularly during his time with the U.S. Indian Medical Services, where he studied the dental health of the Pima Indian tribe. His pioneering work led to the identification of bacteria that cause dental cavities, a milestone published in 1922 that fundamentally changed the understanding of dental disease.
In addition to his research, Rodríguez Vargas served in the U.S. Army Dental Reserve Corps during World War I, eventually rising to the rank of major. He was actively involved in various professional dental organizations and received posthumous recognitions for his impactful work, including the renaming of military hospitals in his honor. Rodríguez Vargas is celebrated not only for his scientific achievements but also for his legacy within the Latino community, being the first of Puerto Rican descent to be honored at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. His efforts laid the groundwork for contemporary dental hygiene practices aimed at preventing tooth decay and gum disease.
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Subject Terms
Fernando E. Rodríguez Vargas
Puerto Rican-born dentist and military leader
- Born: February 24, 1888
- Birthplace: Adjuntas, Puerto Rico
- Died: October 21, 1932
- Place of death: Washington, D. C.
Rodríguez Vargas is best known for the groundbreaking research he performed as a military dentist. He was the first individual to discover the types of bacteria that cause dental cavities and to demonstrate oral disinfectants for possible use in dental procedures.
Early Life
Fernando Emilio Rodríguez Vargas (fuhr-NAHN-doh rahd-REE-gehs VAHR-gahs) was born to Luciano Rodríguez and Dolores Vargas in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico. He attended the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras, San Juan, for undergraduate studies. Rodríguez Vargas showed an interest in the medical field from an early age when he attended paramedic courses at the university. He graduated from the university with a teaching certificate. After college, Rodríguez Vargas held several positions, including an inspector for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and a Spanish translator for the U.S. War Department.
Life’s Work
Rodríguez Vargas left Puerto Rico to further his education. In 1913, he received a doctorate in dental surgery from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He remained in Washington, D.C., after completing school in order to enter into private practice. After two years, Rodríguez Vargas relocated to Tucson, Arizona, to perform dental research for the U.S. Indian Medical Services, a federal health program for American Indians and Alaskan Natives. Here he studied the Pima Indian tribe, which developed dental cavities at a greater frequency than the general population. His initial work with the tribe led him to suspect that the substantial rotting of dental enamel was caused by a poor drinking watersupply. His later research on dental cavities would reveal other causes for this condition.
In 1917, Rodríguez Vargas entered the military as a first lieutenant in the Army Dental Reserve Corps of the U.S. Army. He was first stationed in England, then at Camp Las Casas in San Juan, Puerto Rico, during World War I. Rodríguez Vargas would eventually be promoted to captain (1919) and finally major (1929). While serving in the Army in San Juan, Rodríguez Vargas met his wife, Maria Anita Padilla. The couple had one son, Roberto.
After his service in World War I, Rodríguez Vargas returned to Washington, D.C., to continue research on dental diseases, specifically dental cavities, through the Army Dental Corps. The breakthrough that Rodríguez Vargas is best known for occurred when he discovered the bacteria that are responsible for dental cavities. His landmark research was published in 1922 in the Military Dental Journal and was entitled, “The Specific Study of the Bacteriology of Dental Cavities.” Rodríguez Vargas was the first to describe the three types of Lactobacillus species, which, when broken down, cause cavities. In 1928, Rodríguez Vargas demonstrated the use of chemical disinfectants, such as iodine, that could be used to clean the mouth for dental procedures. Rodríguez Vargas became associate professor of bacteriology at Georgetown University’s dental school while concurrently receiving a B.S. degree from the university in 1924. While he remained in the military, he was reassigned to the Army’s general dispensary in Boston, Massachusetts, where he worked from 1925 through 1926, and he was then sent to the Holabird Quartermaster Depot in Baltimore, Maryland.
Rodríguez Vargas died from complications associated with pneumonia at Walter Reed Hospital on October 21, 1932, at the age of forty-four. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Rodríguez Vargas was a member of several professional dental organizations, including the American College of Dentists, International Association of Dental Research, and District of Columbia Dental Society. He posthumously earned a number of awards and honors in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of dentistry. Among these honors, he received a plaque from the American College of Dentists in 1940; seven years later, the U.S. War Department renamed the Army General Hospital at Fort Brooke in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Rodríguez General Hospital in his honor. After Fort Brooke closed in 1949, an outpatient clinic at Fort Buchanan was renamed the Rodríguez Army Health Clinic. The Puerto Rico College of Dental Surgeons established the Dr. Fernando E. Rodríguez Scientific Contest in his name in 1950.
Significance
As the first individual to document the underlying biological cause of dental cavities, Rodríguez Vargas helped transform the field of dental medicine. Establishing this etiology allowed others to develop methods of treating this problem. Current hygienic dental practice still focuses upon the elimination of bacteria from the mouth in order to prevent the development of tooth and gum disease. Rodríguez Vargas is a substantial figure in the Latino scientific and military community, as evidenced by the fact that he is the only individual of Puerto Rican ancestry to have a plaque and bust honoring his work at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington, D.C.
Bibliography
Kanasi, E., et al. “Microbial Risk Markers for Childhood Caries in Pediatricians’ Offices.” Journal of Dental Research 89, no. 4 (February, 2010): 378-383. Study showing how the Lactobacillus species of bacteria is a risk factor for children developing cavities, which Rodríguez Vargas first documented.
Snyer, Lynne Page. “Celebrating Seventy-Five Years of the Dental Corps: Origins and Early Years of Service.” Public Health Reports 109, no. 5 (September-October, 1994): 710-712. A history of the significant contributions of key individuals in the Army Dental Corps, including Rodríguez Vargas.
Srinivasa Rao, K., et al. “Trace Elemental Analysis of Dental Caries in Human Teeth by External Pixe.” International Journal of Applied Biology and Pharmaceutical Technology 1, no. 1 (May-July, 2010): 68-78. Describes the pioneering work of Rodríguez Vargas in the field of dental disease and the newer literature now available.