Arthur Robbins, who helped start a dental clinic to treat people with HIV and AIDS, died July 2. He was 74.
Robbins, who practiced dentistry here for 50 years, was one of a handful of dentists who opened the Howard Dental Center in Park Hill to treat HIV and AIDS patients, who were often “being ostracized” by other dentists, said Felicia Diamond, executive director of the center.
The handful of dentists who founded the center volunteered their time to treat the patients, as did Robbins for years, at least half a day a week.
Now the center, which has a budget of nearly $1 million, has a full-time paid staff.
“There are still dentists afraid to treat AIDS patients,” Diamond said.
“Dr. Robbins always supported the center,” which has helped thousands of patients, Diamond said.
“He gave of himself and kept giving,” said his son Andrew Robbins of Denver. “He always wanted to do the right thing.”
Arthur H. Robbins was born in Denver on April 17, 1934 and graduated from East High School. He wanted to go into journalism, but his dentist-father, Milton Robbins, persuaded him to be a dentist, said his sister, Harriett Radetsky.
He attended the University of Denver and earned his dentistry degree at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.
The school was a good choice, said Radetsky, because “of his penchant for precision and organization and his dexterity and craftsmanship. And he loved interacting with patients.”
Robbins had patients who “stayed with him for decades,” said his business assistant, Jeanine Kuge, who worked for him for 44 years.
Robbins practiced in Westminster for a while before joining his father’s dental practice in east Denver. Eventually the practice was located in Cherry Creek.
Soon after returning from dental school, Robbins was introduced to Elinor Sue “Ellie” Leven, who had come here from Salt Lake City. “He was smitten,” Radetsky said. In a few months they were engaged.
To avoid “an extravagant wedding” they knew was being planned, the two decided to elope to Las Vegas.
All went well, except that “75 of their nearest and dearest relatives” went along, Radetsky said in her eulogy.
After the April 28, 1960, wedding, the couple finally escaped the crowd and went to Hawaii for their honeymoon, she said. Ellie Robbins died in 1970.
In addition to his son and sister, Arthur Robbins is survived by another son, Harold Robbins of Denver, and by his granddaughter, Ashley Robbins of Denver.
Virginia Culver: 303-954-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com
