Rear Admiral Carol Irene Baker Turner (born 1947) is a retired

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

officer who served as the first female chief of the

United States Navy Dental Corps The Dental Corps of the United States Navy consists of naval officers who have a doctorate in either dental surgery (DDS) or dental medicine (DMD) and who practice dentistry for Sailors and Marines to ensure optimal oral health. The U.S. Navy ...

from 2003 to 2007. She also served as the commanding officer of the

National Naval Dental Center National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

Bethesda, Maryland Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...

Early life

Turner graduated, with distinction, from both

Purdue University Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and mone ...

and

Indiana University School of Dentistry The Indiana University School of Dentistry (IUSD) is the dental school of Indiana University. It is located on the Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis campus in downtown Indianapolis. It is the only dental school in Indiana. ...

(1975). Upon completion of dental school, she practiced in

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, until 1977. In September of that year, she was commissioned as a lieutenant in the

Navy Dental Corps The Dental Corps of the United States Navy consists of naval officers who have a doctorate in either dental surgery (DDS) or dental medicine (DMD) and who practice dentistry for Sailors and Marines to ensure optimal oral health. The U.S. Navy De ...

Navy career

Turner's first duty assignment was at Marine Corps Base,

Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune () is a United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports ( Wilming ...

. In May 1979, she was transferred to the , home-ported at Norfolk, Virginia. She served as an assistant dental officer and subsequently as the division officer for the ship’s dental department. Turner transferred to Naval Dental Center Norfolk in June 1981. In 1984, Turner was selected for training and assigned to Naval Postgraduate Dental School, Bethesda, Maryland, where she completed a residency program in advanced clinical dentistry and the requirements for a master of arts in oral biology. Her next assignment was as officer-in-charge of Branch Dental Clinic,

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. Turner began a tour as a staff officer under the Chief, Navy Dental Corps, in 1988. During her tour at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, she served as head of Manpower Resources and subsequently head of the Logistics Division. In July 1991, she transferred to the

Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associ ...

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, as a student in the College of Naval Warfare, where she completed a master of arts in national security and strategic studies. After graduation, Turner reported to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point,

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, as the commanding officer of 12th Dental Company, 2nd Dental Battalion, 2nd Force Service Support Group. In 1994, she assumed duties as the executive officer of Naval Dental Center Newport, Rhode Island. Turner next reported as commanding officer of the combined command 1st Dental Battalion, 1st Force Service Support Group/Naval Dental Center, Camp Pendleton, Calif. in 1996. She served as officer-in-charge of Naval Healthcare Support Office, Norfolk. In July 2001 she assumed command of the National Naval Dental Center in Bethesda, Maryland. She has served as the deputy chief for dental operations then subsequently health care operations for Navy medicine at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Washington. In June 2005, she assumed duty as the commander of Naval Medical Education and Training Command, Bethesda, Maryland. She also served as the first female chief of the Navy Dental Corps from November 2003 to August 2007. Turner is now serving as commander of Navy Medicine Support Command,

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. Turner maintains membership in the American Dental Association and the

Academy of General Dentistry The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is a professional association of general dentists from Canada and the United States. History and mission The academy was incorporated on August 2, 1952. Paula Jones became its first female president in 20 ...

Awards and decorations

Turner’s personal awards include the Legion of Merit (with three gold stars),

Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include: * Meritorious Civilian Service Award *Meritorious Service Me ...

(with two gold stars),

Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...

(with gold star), and the

Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service of military personnel who were not eligible to recei ...

. *

Legion of Merit with three Gold Stars * Meritorious Service Medal ribbon

with two Gold Stars *

Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal ribbon

with Gold Star *

Navy and Marine Corps Achievement ribbon

Education

Turner graduated, with distinction, from both

and

(1975). She was assigned to the Naval Postgraduate Dental School, Bethesda, Maryland., where she completed a residency program in advanced clinical dentistry and the requirements for a master of arts in oral biology. In July 1991, she transferred to the

, as a student in the College of Naval Warfare, where she completed a master of arts in national security and strategic studies.

Notes

: Elaine C. Wagner, the 36th Chief of the United States Navy Dental Corps, is also an alumnus of the Indiana University School of Dentistry.

References

External links

Official U. S. Navy Biography

Women of the Uniformed Services
29 November 2007 article i

{{DEFAULTSORT:Turner, Carol I. 1947 births Living people Purdue University alumni Indiana University alumni Women dentists American dentists Naval War College alumni Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Navy admirals Female admirals of the United States Navy 21st-century American women