Mr Wood is well known to many local people, having spent 42 of those years practising in Ashburton, arriving after a stint overseas and, with his wife Pearl, raising their five children in the town.

His retirement has left the town with only three dentists, down from seven at the beginning of the year, but Mr Wood doesn't understand why Ashburton has failed to attract new dentists.

Technology changed the way Mr Wood worked over the years but he said the most significant impact came with the introduction of fluoride 35 years ago.

Mr Wood said he has noticed a deterioration in dental health since fluoride was removed from Ashburton's water five years ago. As far as he is concerned fluoride has proved its worth and he would like to see it back in the water.

Today's surgeries needed to be much bigger the than purpose-built rooms Mr Wood moved into when he started his practice and air-compressed drills were the new state of the art dentistry tool. Nowadays a dentist's surgery needs room for UV and advanced x-ray machines, and as cosmetic dentistry becomes the trend, equipment like bleaching machines are becoming the norm.

Four of the couple's children live overseas, currently in Adelaide, England and Zurich, so there is some travelling to look forward to, and time to spend with grandchildren.

For 50 years Mr Wood averaged two to three weeks off each year, and he has no intention of tying up his retirement with part-time or locum work.

Last weekend the couple took in the Constable exhibition at Te Papa, and there's a trip to Adelaide next month and a road trip in the pipeline.

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