No more molars for Max
But daughter Hannah now filling the chair
He’s been flooded with gallons of good wine, spirits and cards from bereft patients, some of whom left the surgery in floods of tears at their final appointments.
Not the usual emotions people have in their dealings with a dentist.
Max Geller, the tooth king of Ayr, has hung up his drill after 38 years.
Typically, he was 20 minutes late for his own retirement party at Queens Court Dental as he finished treatment for his last ever patient.
Max, who retired aged 64 on Thursday, has worked his entire career at the same surgery, looking after four generations of patients.
While he admitted it was the “saddest day of my life” the Geller dental dynasty is continuing as his daughter Hannah, 29, has taken over his partnership.
Just before Max closed the door on his surgery – enjoying a bird’s eye view down The Sandgate – he reflected on his time at the tooth- face.
He said: “I was just part- time for the first three months and the surgery was nothing like what it was then. It was Norrie Stevenson who took the chance on it, just a normal rented space. Over the years we built it and they came.”
And then he added: “This is the saddest day of my life. But the happiest in that I am handing over to my daughter.
“Dentistry in Ayr has given me a wonderful lifestyle, great sense of purpose and self- worth – all the things I think are important.”
Patients loved him because of his dexterity in their mouths, his soft mellifluous tone and his sense of fun.
The practice was set up 43 steps on the staircase to the second floor at Queens Court in January 1978 by Norrie Stevenson.
Norrie, now 73, retired when he was 60. The rooms were described as a “squat” – far removed from the slick air conditioned dental emporium of today.
Max started on the payroll as an associate in 1979, achieving partnership a year later.
As their reputation grew, it blossomed into a four partner, 20 strong staff business looking after more than 13,000 patients.
Max, who will enjoy retirement in Ayr with his wife Sheila, says technology has continued to enhance dentistry.
He said: “In the old days many dentists probably inflicted pain when they didn’t have to.
“With the better use of anaesthetics it is a much more pleasurable experience. Due to patient demand we have moved heavily into cosmetic treatments, rather than just decay repair, so that is probably the biggest change in my time. We can give patients a Hollywood smile or a natural one, whatever they want.”
Max was clearly emotional as staff scrawled goodbye messages in marker pen on the back of his white dental smock.
As one hygienist said: “We’ve taken in more than 50 bottles of red wine alone for him . . . it’s been crazy. He’s been used to filling gaps in teeth and now we will have to fill the huge gap he has left.
“Fortunately Hannah is taking over the reins and I think his patients are delighted the family dynasty is continuing.”
Hannah, stepped into dad’s chair on Monday after spending three years at the Three Towns Dental Practice in Saltcoats following graduation as a BDS from Aberdeen University.
While at university she won the prize for the best piece of dental work, which involved a crown.
An antique rocking horse has been stabled in the waiting room for as long as staff and patients can remember.
The stallion has never had a name - but that may be about to change. Max is the name in the frame, a reminder of their charming old boss.