______________________________ ____________________________ 1
Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 2
3
4
____________________________ ____________________________ 5
Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Christina Henderson 6
7
8
9
A CEREMONIAL 10
__________ 11
12
13
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 14
15
____________________ 16
17
To recognize and honor Dr. Robert Ray’s remarkable commitment to safeguarding the health and 18
welfare of District residents, and his distinguished years of public service in the District 19
of Columbia. 20
21
WHEREAS, Dr. Robert Ray was born in New Jersey and moved to the District of 22
Columbia in 1975 and has since dedicated his life to enhancing the healthcare of residents within 23
the District of Columbia and its surrounding areas; 24
25
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray a member of the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity, earned a Bachelor of 26
Science degree in agriculture research from Rutgers University in 1969, exemplifying his 27
commitment to academic excellence and scholarship; 28
29
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray furthered his education by graduating from Tufts Dental School in 30
1973, demonstrating his dedication to the field of dentistry; 31
32
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray achieved Orthodontic Certification from the esteemed Howard Post 33
Graduate Orthodontic Program in September of 1975, showcasing his pursuit of specialized 34
knowledge and expertise; 35
36
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray established his inaugural dental practice in Washington, DC in 1975 37
where he served the community with unwavering dedication and compassion; 38
39
WHEREAS, During the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Dr. Ray was one of few 40
orthodontists to treat patients that contracted the virus; 41
42
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray additionally operated practices in Laurel, Frederick, and Bethesda, 43
Maryland, where he attended to as many as 90 patients daily; 44
45
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray's exemplary leadership qualities were recognized when he was 46
appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Dentistry from 1998 through 2008, demonstrating his 47
commitment to upholding the highest standards of dental care and professional ethics; 48
49
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray provided strategic leadership and guidance as the chairman of the 50
Board of Dentistry, overseeing regulatory affairs and ensuring compliance with dental practice 51
standards; 52
53
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray was responsible for streamlining the license approval process, 54
reducing the timeline from three months to just one week; 55
56
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray represented the Board of Dentistry at conferences, seminars, and 57
meetings to advocate for best practices and to stay abreast of industry advancements; 58
59
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray was appointed to the Board of Whitman Walker Health by 60
Councilmember Jim Graham and served 3 years; 61
62
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray's professional affiliations and achievements also include serving as 63
president of the Robert T. Friedman Dental Association and Commissioner for the Commission 64
on Dental Accreditation where he served for 4 years, and a Dental board examiner for 15 years; 65
and 66
67
WHEREAS, Dr. Ray officially retired in May 2023 and continues to mentor and provide 68
guidance to a new generation of orthodontists. 69
70
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this 71
resolution may be cited as the “Dr. Robert Ray Ceremonial Recognition Resolution of 2024.” 72
73
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes and honors Dr. Robert Ray for 74
his passion to advocate for and safeguard health standards, his volunteerism, and commitment to 75
the District of Columbia. 76
77
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in 78
the District of Columbia Register. 79