Carl Röse (1864-1947) - the first known dentist nominated for the Nobel Prize and his contributions to caries research.

This article scrutinises the life and work of the German caries researcher Carl Röse (1864-1947) - the first known dentist to be nominated for the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. The starting point of the paper is Röse's curriculum vitae. The analysis then focuses on Röse's research on cariology, which led to his nomination, as well as the nomination itself. Further attention is given to Röse's other research interests, in particular his 'race studies' and his role in the 'Third Reich'. The paper is based on numerous contemporary primary sources, such as documents collected in the archive of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine in Solna, Sweden, as well as a critical re-analysis of secondary literature on Carl Röse and on the history of cariology and 'racial research'. It leads to the conclusion that Röse made significant contributions to the study of caries. Röse's study design can be regarded as a precursor of today's multi-centre studies. Nevertheless, the nomination remained a singular one. Moreover, it can be shown that Röse received special attention due to his pronounced racist views in the 'Third Reich'; this culminated in his being awarded the Miller Prize and the Goethe Medal presented by Hitler. Röse died after the collapse of the 'Third Reich' as a largely forgotten man.