Ian Ralph Brooke was a professor of dentistry at Western University, London, Ontario, Canada. He was born in Leeds, England, on 25 April 1934, the son of Michael Brooke and Netta Brooke née Cohen. He studied dentistry and then qualified in medicine. He became a fellow of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1968 and went on to become a fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada. He worked for over 40 years at Western University as a professor, chair of oral medicine, dean of dentistry (from 1982 to 1997), vice provost of health sciences and chief of dentistry at the University Hospital. He published many papers and articles and contributed to medical and dental textbooks. He was given numerous awards and honours, including the honourable alumnus of distinction award from Western University. The Canadian Dental Association awarded him with an honorary membership in 1994, which recognises those who have made outstanding contributions to dentistry or the dental profession. He was active in the London, Ontario Jewish community, serving as president of Or Shalom synagogue and the London Jewish Federation. He enjoyed music, winemaking and travelling. Brooke died on 30 September 2014 at the age of 80 in St Joseph’s Hospice in London, Ontario. He was survived by his wife of 51 years, Lorna (née Shields), sons Michael and Andrew and grandchildren Maya, Jonathan, Ethan, Sarah, Rachel and Daniel.