RAFAEL BOWEN

1925 - 2020

Dr. Rafael Bowen  
On Monday, April 20, 2020, Dr. Rafael Bowen, Distinguished Scientist, passed away at the age of 94. He is survived by his loving wife Jean, daughters Cheryl and Heather, and sister Virginia.Ray was born on December 27, 1925 in Takoma Park, MD to William and Naomi Bowen. He was a veteran of the Army, and graduated from the USC's Dental School in 1953. He joined the ADA Research Labs in 1956.Dr. Bowen developed Bis-GMA, which transformed the practice of dentistry. This composite resin has been used in dental restorative materials for more than 50 years. He is also credited with the invention of dental sealants used to prevent decay. In 1983, Dr. Bowen became the Director of the Paffenbarger Research Institute. In 1987, he received an honorary D.Sc. from Georgetown University. His legendary impact on the field of dentistry led to numerous honors, including his induction to University of South Carolina's Ostrow School of Dentistry Hall of Fame in 1997, and the AADR's Distinguished Scientist Award in 2014. Dr. Bowen retired from the ADA in 2018 after 62 years. He holds 54 patents and has more than 250 publications. Ray was an avid skier, windsurfer, racquetball and tennis player. He wrote poetry and was an accomplished painter. No services planned at this time.