Marines


Dental Officer USMC
Dental Officer USMC for the HQMC

CAPT Gunning is a native of Tipton, Indiana and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University and a Doctor of Dental Surgery from Indiana University School of Dentistry. He completed residency training in comprehensive dentistry at the Naval Postgraduate Dental School in Bethesda, Maryland and concurrently earned a Master of Science in Health Sciences from the George Washington University.  He also graduated from the Marine Corps University, Command and Staff College, Quantico VA and earned a Master of Military Studies.

His executive operational assignments include Commanding Officer, 2d Dental Battalion and Naval Dental Center (USNDC), Camp Lejeune, Executive Officer 3d Dental Battalion and Naval Dental Center (USNDC), Okinawa, Japan, and  II Marine Expeditionary Force Dental Officer. He served as Senior Dental Officer, Naval Branch Health Clinic, Bahrain in the 5th Fleet Area of Operations.   Under operational control to the 8th Medical Army Brigade and in advance of the Fleet Hospital, he led the first independent Navy Dental Detachment to Northern Kuwait on Army Camps in support of the 2003 surge into Iraq. He also deployed to Iraq and was the II MEF Dental Officer (forward) for all Navy Dental units in Iraq and Dental Detachment Commander for 2d Supply Battalion (REIN). 

 

Other assignments include:  Parris Island, Marine Corps Recruit Depot; Division Officer, USS CARL VINSON (CVN-70) and a Western Pacific deployment in support of Operation Southern Watch; 1st Dental Battalion / Naval Dental Center, Camp Pendleton and deployed on the USS Essex (LHD-2) with 11th Marine Service Support Group (MSSG) supporting the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) participating in operations in Kuwait and the Persian Gulf;  Advanced Education in General Dentistry Director, General Dentistry Department Head, and Command Consultant Comprehensive Dentistry at 3rd Dental Battalion / Naval Dental Center, Okinawa, Japan. At 2d Dental Battalion and Naval Dental Center, Camp Lejeune, he held the positions Annex Director-Camp Geiger, Annex Head- Hospital Point, Clinic Director Marine Corps Air Station New River, and Director for Clinical Services. 

His staff assignments include Naval War College, Navy Leadership and Ethics Center providing leadership training and development for prospective Major Commanders, Commanding Officers, Executive Officers, Officers-in-Charge, and Command Master Chiefs in all Navy designators. He current assignment is with Headquarters Marine Corps- Health Services where he is The Dental Officer of the Marine Corps, Chief Dental Informatics Officer and Director for Research.

 

CAPT Gunning is a Diplomat of the Federal Services Board of General Dentistry and a Diplomat of the American Board of General Dentistry.  He is a Master in the Academy of General Dentistry. He is a member of the American Dental Association, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, and the International College of Dentists.   His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star, Navy Commendation Medal with three gold stars, and Navy Achievement Medal with two gold stars. He has also earned the Service Warfare Medical Department Officer and Fleet Marine Force Warfare Officer Designators.

 

CAPT Rodney Gunning

Dental Corps, U.S. Navy

Rodney.Gunning@usmc.mil

(703)604-4618

Headquarters Marine Corps