When she looked back on a career in dentistry that spanned 50 years and brought her national prominence, Roberta Shaklee would recall what a coincidence it was that her north Denver elementary school had a direct tie to her chosen field.
Smedley Elementary School is named for John Smedley, one of Denver’s pioneer dentists; his grandson, John V. Smedley, also a dentist, later sent patients to Shaklee’s periodontal practice.
Shaklee had battled ovarian cancer for 2½ years and was 66 years old when she died Aug. 29 at her home in Denver.
Her interest in dentistry began when she was in high school and worked in the Thornton office of the late Dr. Dennis Ferraro. He encouraged her to study dental hygiene, which she did at Rangely Junior College (now Colorado Northwestern Community College).
She developed an interest in periodontics, which led her to Switzerland and a job with one of Europe’s most renowned periodontists, Dr. Klaus H. Rateitsehak.
“He wanted her to attend dental school in Switzerland, but she opted to return to Denver because she didn’t believe she would do well with organic chemistry taught in German,” her husband, Ed Hurry, recalls.
She enrolled in what is now the University of Northern Colorado to receive a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene education and then completed her pre-dentistry requirements at the University of Colorado Denver before graduating cum laude from the University of Colorado School of Dentistry.
Shaklee practiced general dentistry for two years before becoming a resident in periodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
“From a modest beginning in north Denver, she became a lifelong learner, always striving to become better,” Hurry said. “She overcame the obstacles of lack of parental support, financial constraints and age to live the impossible dream.”
Eight times, her peers chose her as one of the Best Dentists in America. A past president of the , she also was the first female president of the and the second female periodontist in the Denver area, when she joined a practice headed by Dr. Raymond Yukna. She bought the practice when Yukna became a professor of periodontics at the CU School of Dental Medicine.
In 2001, the CU School of Dentistry honored her as Alumna of the Year, and in 2013, she received the Dean’s Award for service and support to her alma mater. She wrote articles for national dental publications and lectured internationally.
In addition to her husband, Shaklee is survived by two sisters, Marilyn Ann Shaklee Zickefoose and Bonnie Rose Shaklee Stevens; an aunt, Helen Shaklee Sirios; and 14 nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at noon Sept. 28 at 1955 E. Arizona Ave.
The family suggests memorial contributions to , , , the , the or the where the Dr. Roberta L. Shaklee Periodontal Excellence Award has been established.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, jdavidson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/joannedavidson
