Colonel Robert G. Hale (born 28 November 1956 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and former Commander of the US Army Dental and Trauma Research Detachment.

Hale has held a teaching appointment at the UCLA School of Dentistry since 1990 and is a professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.

In 2016, Hale was featured in the book "Hurt: The Inspiring, Untold Story of Trauma Care"[1] by Catherine Musemeche, MD.

Todd Nelson was based in Kabul, Afghanistan as a senior logistics supervisor when he was severely injured in an explosion while on patrol.

While Hale was Commander of the US Army Dental and Trauma Research Detachment, he played a large role in the development of Combat Gum.

[3] The peppermint flavored, sugar-free gum contains a synthetic sequence of anti-microbial peptides which mimic defensins (the bacteria-killing molecules naturally found in saliva.