Robert Shaye

Robert Shaye was a man with many interests, and he enjoyed a long and successful academic career. He was born in 1937. He attended high school in New Haven, Connecticut, and college at the University of Connecticut. Afterward, he obtained his doctorate of dental surgery from New York University College of Dentistry. He then completed a certificate of orthodontics from the University of Zurich School of Dentistry in Switzerland. He also completed a certificate in orthodontics from the University of Alabama School of Dentistry.

Dr Shaye had several academic appointments during his career; he was a clinical associate in dentistry in the Department of Orthodontics, University of Alabama School of Dentistry, and a faculty member at Louisiana State University School of Dentistry from 1972 to 1995. During this period, he was the director of research at the Department of Orthodontics in Louisiana State University.

Afterward, he served as a professor and chair of the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry from 1995 to 2012. Since 2012, he was professor emeritus at the Department of Orthodontics, and in this capacity, I have observed his enthusiasm for orthodontic education and research.

Dr Shaye also enjoyed many appointments as consultant, referee, or advisor. These included being an orthodontic consultant to the Veterans Administration Medical Center in New Orleans, as well as being an orthodontic consultant to the Division of Medicaid, State of Mississippi. He was active in research and was a proponent of functional appliances in orthodontics. He presented widely about functional appliances and jaw orthopedics and was passionate about these topics.

His honors and awards include being a professor emeritus at both Louisiana State University School of Dentistry and the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, the Victor Halperin Research Professorship from Louisiana State University, the Appreciation Award from the Alabama Dental Association, and the Excellence in Classroom Instruction Award from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry.

On an international level, Dr Shaye was an Honorary Citizen of San Salvador, El Salvador, and the recipient of the Honorary Medal from the Greek Orthodontic Society. He was the corecipient, with Drs Alexandre G. Petrovic and Claudine L. Oudet, of the Prize for Best Research of 1982 from the German Society of Orthodontists for their article “Unterkieferpropulsion durch eine im Oberkiefer fixierte Vorbißführung mit seitlicher Bißsperre von unterschiedlicher Höhe hinsichtlich der täglichen Dauer der Behandlung” (Lower jaw propulsion by a prebite guide fixed in the upper jaw with lateral bite barrier of different height with regard to the daily duration of the treatment) published in Fortschritte der Kieferorthopädie ( Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics ).

Dr Shaye had a good sense of humor. He was a great fan of Albert Einstein and considered him one of the finest scientists. He enjoyed owning and driving several Porsches during his life. His departure leaves us saddened, and he will be missed. His contributions to orthodontics and our dental school are much appreciated and recognized.