PFA President Ray Klein presenting gavel to incoming President Marty Naimark, 1992
L-R, Gordon Christensen receiving award from President Klein and Vice President Carl Lundgren, 1992
Ray Klein receiving PFA Award from PFA President Howard Mark, 2006
ACD President Ray Klein addressing Oklahoma Section
ACD President Ray Klein with ADA President Kathy Roth
Renee & Ray Klein at the Oklahoma Centennial
Dr. Ray & Renee Klein--a great team, at the University of Indiana Dinner
Dentistry Shocked by Early Passing of Dental Great Past PFA President Ray Klein
Dr. H. Raymond Klein was a modern day legend of dental leadership to his patients, his understanding family and wife Renee, to his community, and to professional dentistry. He was an inspiration to all who knew him. To relate all the leadership roles and presidencies Dr. Klein held in his brief life with us would appear to be the biography of two men.
Born in Vincennes, Indiana, Ray received his undergraduate and specialty degrees from Indiana University. His long pediatric career started out in Lafayette, Indiana, and then relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1965. He was that city's first board-certified pedodontist. He served his community as President of the Arlington Rotary Club, St. John's Episcopal Church Vestry Membership, Chairmanship of the St. Andrew's Day School Board, President of the Jacksonville Boys' Club, and as a staff member on several area hospitals.
Ray Klein was President of 16 professional organizations including the Pierre Fauchard Academy (PFA 1991-1992), the American College of Dentists (ACD 2006-2007), the Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the Florida Dental Association, the Florida Dental Health Foundation, the Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry, the Northeast Florida District Dental Association, the American Academy of Dentistry Foundation, the Florida ACD Section, the Indiana University Pediatric Dentistry Alumni Association, the Jacksonville Dental Society, the Florida Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the Academy of Dentistry of Jacksonville, and the American College of Dentists Foundation. This list does not touch on all the lower offices and committeeman-ships served by this great dental figure, such as his leadership of the PFA International Hall of Fame Committee for 10 years.
Naturally such a leader was showered with many honors and awards befitting his outstanding roles in directing so many top professional organizations, such as the 2006 PFA Distinguished Service Award, the Florida Dental Association (FDA) Dentist of the Year, Lifetime Honorary Member of the Florida Sheriff's Boy's Ranch State of Florida Proclamation for Outstanding Community Service, the Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, the Leon Schwartz Lifetime Service Award, the Distinguished Service Awards from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the FDA Dentist of the Year Award, Northeast District Dental Association, the FDA President's Award, the ACD Geis Fellow Award, Honorary Memberships in the Hinman Dental Society, in the Alabama Dental Association, in the Georgia Dental Association, and in the Mississippi Dental Association, the Jacksonville Dental Society, and the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year from the Indiana University School of Dentistry. Ray also served as ADA Trustee for the 5th District while being honored as a Fellow in the International College of Dentists (ICD), PFA, and the American College of Dentists (ACD). After serving as ACD President, Ray did not retire. He accepted a position as Trustee on the PFA Foundation Board. The ACD Florida Section created the H. Raymond Klein Fund for advancing the concepts of leadership, professionalism, excellence and ethics in dentistry. The Florida Dental Association Foundation has created the H. Raymond Klein Fund for Children's Dental Care.
Ray traveled to some 28 of 50 States as well as many foreign countries. This Editor was with him and Renee as we visited Belgium, Paris, and London, watching Ray struggle with luggage as huge as he was moving through these countries. Ray was a humble, intelligent, and well-read individual, universally liked by everyone. He had a gentle touch in arguing a point that soothed the heat of the moment to arrive at a well-thought out conclusion. Even into Ray's 70s, he was still practicing care to children, dedicating his career to helping underserved communities improve their dental health. Ray is survived by his dear wife Renee and his five children Ronnie, Pat, Mike, Robin, and Raymond, along with 10 beloved grandchildren, and his mother, Esther Marlowe, back in Vincennes.
As we all are so struck by Dr. Ray's untimely departure from our lives, let us remember that his memory, and such charitable funds in his memory, still serve his life and passion. In the memory of our loved friend Ray Klein, please send a donation in his name to the Florida Dental Association at 111 East Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL 32308-6914. Let us keep the fervor of our memories alive to help continue Ray's work as he would have wished us to do in his absence. Mark on the check "H. Raymond Klein for Children's Dental Care." YOU know he would have done the same for us.