Biography
George Blue Spruce Jr. Is recognized as the first American Indian dentist and serves as an unsung hero through his devotion to bringing greater dental care and advocacy to the Indigenous population. After graduating from Creighton’s Dental School in 1956, he served two years in the navy and worked in 14 reservations and pueblos around the country. During his time in the navy, he was assistant surgeon general and director of the IHS Phoenix Area Office. He served 42 tribes from 1979 to 1986, claiming that “Most American Indians never had an opportunity to receive any dental care at all” (Locke, 2023). His motivation to serve indigenous populations stems from his poor personal experiences and the understanding that “Gum disease, infection, and tooth decay were almost epidemic on the reservations” (George Blue Spruce Jr, 2009). Through his experiences, he noticed that there was a severe lack of American Indian representation in the dental field, leading him to advocate for Indigenous representation in health professions and provide mentorship opportunities for future American Indian dental students. Additionally, he earned a master's degree in public health at the University of California, Berkeley and was a part of the Indian Health Services. He worked with a federal agency at U.S Department of Human and Health Services where he focused on tribal health care reform.