Dr. Robert Peterson, 85, has decided to put away his dental instruments and scrubs to focus on his bicycling hobby and spend more time with his family.

“Dentistry is really hard work and as you get older, you don’t recover as quickly,” Peterson said.

As a teenager attending Carroll High School, Peterson knew he wanted to go into a medical profession upon graduating, leaning towards anesthesiology. But when a dentist gave a presentation at career day, Peterson and friend Norman Schulz decided then and there they wanted to be dentists; both men’s aspirations came to fruition. Peterson attended dental school at the University of Iowa, graduating in 1955. For a year he interned in New York at U.S. Public Health Service working with underprivileged cliental. Next, he and his wife and young family moved to the Southwest to provide dental services for Native Americans on reservations. Peterson turned down a job offer to work in Puerto Rico, instead deciding to return to his home state of Iowa. Peterson decided to open up his own practice in Marshalltown in 1958 upon learning of the town’s need for more dental services.

His clinic, located at 110 N. 1st Street, served the populous for decades until the dentist decided to go into semi-retirement, whereupon the clinic changed hands a few times and today still operates as a dental office. In the 1990s, Peterson decided he wanted to become an adjunct clinical instructor and he secured a position working part-time at Des Moines Area Community College’s Ankeny campus. He took a break from teaching after the death of his first wife in 1997, returning to DMACC a few years later.

Peterson first got interested in marathon running in 1965, participating in competitions across the country including the Boston Marathon and the Drake Relays. But when a leg injury was about to put the dentist on the sidelines, he transitioned into cycling.

“I did my first national race in 1990 in San Diego,” Peterson said. ” I won several national championships and one world title.”

Ten years ago, Peterson decided to return to dentistry, working part-time at Primary Health Care Dental Clinic in Marshalltown.

“The clinic has been a blessing to this community,” Peterson said. “There were a lot of people here who had no source of care before this clinic came along … demand is so great, it seems like everyone in Marshall County comes in everyday.”

In his 60 plus year dental career, Peterson has seen many changes, primarily with technology, equipment, medications and health insurance.

“As for the basic principals of delivery of service, it’s still the same. People are people and they want quality work,” Peterson explained.

The octogenarian, who owns around a dozen bikes, rides regularly and enjoys traveling local trails as well as ones that take him through Des Moines. He also spends time at the YMCA.

“Every year for the last 10 or so years, a group of us ride the number of miles as my age, biking the Raccoon River Valley Trail,” Peterson said.

In retirement, he and wife Nancy plan to travel to a favorite spot in Texas to get in some trail riding, as well as spend time with their five children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandkids.

“We were both working part-time and I retired on December 30th, so this is the first time we’ve both been retired,” Nancy said.

Peterson said he is content with his decision to fully retire, although he will miss his colleagues.

“You just kind of know when things are right, and it’s time for me to retire,” Peterson concluded.

Primary Health Care Dental Clinic, located at 112 E. Linn St, will have an open house Wednesday, Jan. 20 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in honor of Peterson’s retirement. The public is welcome to attend.

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Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at 641-753-6611 or sjordan@timesrepublican.com