Elaine C. Wagner is a retired United States Navy

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

. She was the first female pediatric dentist to achieve flag rank in the United States Navy, and served as the 36th Chief of the United States Navy Dental Corps. Her retirement ceremony was held on January 9, 2017, and she was transferred to the retired list the following April, after 33 years of service in the United States Navy. She is a member of the International College of Dentists.

Early life and education

Wager grew up in southern Indiana, and resided in Bloomington prior to attending college. In 1976, she graduated from Butler University in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

with a joint degree in zoology and

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

. She was the school's

Kappa Kappa Gamma Kappa Kappa Gamma (), also known simply as Kappa or KKG, is a collegiate sorority founded at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, United States. It has a membership of more than 260,000 women, with 140 collegiate chapters in the United States a ...

chapter president and registrar. She received her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the Indiana University School of Dentistry in 1980, and completed her residency at Riely Children's Hospital in 1982. In 1991, Wagner was

board certified Board certification is the process by which a physician or other professional demonstrates a mastery of advanced knowledge and skills through written, practical, or simulator-based testing. Certification bodies There are more than 25 boards that ...

by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Following 18 months of private practice, Wagner accepted a commission in the United States Navy in December 1983.

Military career

Upon accepting her commission, Wagner was assigned to

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), also known as 29 Palms, is the largest United States Marine Corps base. It was a census-designated place (CDP) officially known as Twentynine Palms Base located adjacent to the city of Twentynin ...

Twentynine Palms Twentynine Palms (also known as 29 Palms) is a city in San Bernardino County, California. Twentynine Palms serves as one of the entry points to Joshua Tree National Park. History Twentynine Palms was named for the palm trees found there in ...

. From there, she completed several more assignments, including Department Head tours, and tours in the Philippines and Japan. She was selected for an

Executive Officer An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer, o ...

tour to Naval Hospital Jacksonville. In June 1998, she was selected for advancement to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

. Wagner's first of many tours as a

commanding officer The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...

was at Naval Hospital Beaufort in 2006. She was the first female to command the station. Following that assignment, Wagner reported to Naval Health Clinic New England as its commanding officer. Within two years of her departure from that command, she would relieve her successor. In March 2010, Wagner was selected for advancement to the rank of Rear Admiral (Lower Half), and made substantive in that rank the following January. Her advancement to rear admiral marked the first time a female pediatric dentist held flag rank. As a rear admiral, she held many senior leadership positions in the navy, including a tour as the 36th Chief of Naval Dental Corps. Wagner retired in 2017 as a

two star Two star, two stars and similar may refer to: * A grading of a hotel, restaurant, film, etc. in a star (classification) scheme * Two star petrol, a class of Leaded petrol formerly sold in the UK * Two-star rank, a senior military rank * Two-Handed ...

rear admiral.

After retirement

After her retirement from the navy, Wagner accepted a position in the International College of Dentists. And she was also appointed to the BIOLASE board of directors on October 9, 2018.

Honors, awards, and decorations

Over the course of her 33-year career, Wagner received multiple military awards and decorations. In addition to service and unit awards, her personal awards include the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

(4 awards), the Meritorious Service Medal (4 awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4 awards), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 awards). In addition, Wagner has won several civilian awards in light of her long professional career. She won the Ann Page Griffin Humanitarian Award in 2016 for her "outstanding commitment to alleviating suffering and improving the oral health of under-served populations." In 2014, she received a Doctor of Science,

Honoris Causa An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...

for her distinguished career in healthcare and service to her nation from Butler University. After receiving the degree, she delivered the university's 2014 Spring commencement address. Wager was also invited to give the 2012 commencement address at her alma mater, the Indiana University School of Dentistry.

Notes

Carol I. Turner Rear Admiral Carol Irene Baker Turner (born 1947) is a retired United States Navy officer who served as the first female chief of the United States Navy Dental Corps from 2003 to 2007. She also served as the commanding officer of the National Nava ...

, a prior Chief of the United States Navy Dental Corps is also an

alumnus Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for grou ...

of the Indiana University School of Dentistry.
: eMSM stands for enhanced Multi-Service Market, and is a geographic region served my multiple medical facilities from different services.
: N931 is the office code for Medical Resources Plans and Policy Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

References

External links

RADM Wagner delivering a message for the Dental Corps 101st birthday
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wagner, Elaine C. 20th-century American dentists United States Navy admirals Female admirals of the United States Navy Living people Recipients of the Legion of Merit 21st-century American naval officers 20th-century American naval officers Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis alumni Butler University alumni Women dentists Year of birth missing (living people) 20th-century American women 21st-century American women 21st-century American dentists