Meet Dr. Armando Aguilera, Jr.

DrAguileraDr. Armando Aguilera, Jr. is a native of Miami, FL. At the age of seventeen he pursued his dream of serving his country and enlisted into the US Army as a combat medic and dental technician. While serving with the 25th Infantry Division he attended college in the evenings and was awarded an ROTC Scholarship to complete his pre-doctoral education. He attended the University of Miami earning a Bachelor Degree with honors and graduating first in his class as Distinguished Military Graduate. He received his commission as an Officer in the US Army and was awarded a Health Professional Scholarship to complete his Doctorate of Dental Surgery at Meharry Medical College where he also graduated with honors. Upon completion, Dr. Aguilera continued his educational endeavors by completing an Advanced Education in Dentistry in Columbus, GA. With extensive specialized military training as an Airborne (Parachutist), Air Assault (Aircraft Rappelling) and Expert Field Medical Badge qualifications, Dr. Aguilera was immediately appointed as the Division Dental Surgeon to join the elite 82nd Airborne Task Force out of Ft Bragg, NC. He served in two consecutive combat tours during Operation Enduring Freedom throughout several provinces in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Baghdad, Iraq where he was recognized with multiple awards for serving valiantly while providing critical care to our wounded soldiers and during humanitarian missions in local villages. In his own words: “My most rewarding professional experience was to be given the honor to serve with heroes”.

Dr. Aguilera earned his certification in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX with extensive training in Head and Neck Trauma & Pathology, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Dental & Facial Implants, Critical Care Medicine, General Anesthesia & Sedation and Dentoalveolar Surgery. This arduous training was dedicated to treating the local community of South Central, TX and our most severely wounded soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq.

In 2008, Dr. Aguilera was appointed as Chief Staff & Officer in Charge of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at Ft. Campbell, KY where he continued his commitment to caring for our troops of the 101st Airborne Division. Dr. Aguilera held key leadership roles at Community Hospitals and Dental Treatment Facilities to include Instructor & Clinical Mentor for the US Army Medical Department’s Advanced General Dentistry Residencies, Special Forces Medical Program, Physician’s Assistance Program, Advanced Trauma Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support.

Dr. Aguilera led multiple committees devoted to Patient Safety, Risk Management and Quality Assurance and was selected as the Hospital Emergency Training Coordinator and Chief of Dental Forensics for the Southeast Region. He is an advisor and mentor for new Military Doctors across the nation and has been featured in multiple Army advertisements and campaigns and medical journals for Medical Recruiting. He lectures on various topics in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at several universities, for the Army Medical Department and the Dental Corps. Dr. Aguilera  is an Oral Surgery Mock Board Examiner for Bethesda’s Naval Medical Center Board Review Course which prepares Doctors from across the nation to achieve Board Certification status. As a decorated Lieutenant Colonel and after years of dedicated service to his country, Dr Aguilera has chosen to focus his commitment to providing quality healthcare to Middle Tennessee- the area he fell in love with early in his education. He is excited to continue his dedication to serving society and becoming a leader in the community.

Dr. Aguilera is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, a Fellow of the American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons and the International Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons; an active Member of the Tennessee Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology, the American Trauma Society, the AO Craniomaxillofacial Foundation and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. He is currently attaining privileges as an Associate Professor and Staff Surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and at St Thomas Rutherford Hospital. When not in surgery, Dr. Aguilera enjoys spending time with his family and rooting for his favorite  college sports team.