A Broughty Ferry dentist who has cared for the smiles of the area’s residents for more than two decades is to step down.
Dr Ian Robertson, who runs Ian Robertson Dental Care in the Ferry, has been at the helm of the Brook Street practice for 23 years.
But he’s set to pass the surgery on to new owners – Dr Davinder Kalsi and Dr Nikhil Sharma – in just under a month’s time.
Speaking about his decision step back, Dr Robertson said it was time for him to “slow down” after three decades in the profession.
He said: “It’s been 30 years since I qualified as a dentist and 23 years since I took over this practice.
“It’s just time to slow down really, I’m-semi retiring in a way because I’m stepping back but I’m staying at the Arbroath practice.
“Sadly I am unable to transfer patients so its been hard to say I’m leaving and this will be the last time I will see them.”
As for his partial retirement, Dr Robertson plans to use his free time to take up some of his hobbies that might’ve fallen by the wayside – but has nothing concrete planned.
“I haven’t given it too much thought”, he said.
“I have a few hobbies that I plan on taking up again, maybe I’ll do a bit of golf if the time allows it. We’ll just have to see!”
Stepping down a ‘difficult decision’
Dr Robertson informed patients of his “difficult decision” to step away from the Broughty Ferry surgery in a letter, also thanking them for staying with him through the years.
The 52-year-old wrote: “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to provide your dental care over the years and I would like to thank you most sincerely for your loyalty to the practice.
“I wish you well for the future.”
One patient of Dr Robertson, who has been with the dentist for more than 20 years, expressed their sadness at his planned departure.
He said: “Mr Robertson has been our family dentist since he took over the practice in 2000. I wish him all the best in his retirement and he will be missed.
“It is a relief to hear that patients will be transferred over to the new owners, given how difficult it is to register with dental practices these days.”
All of Dr Robertson’s patients at the Broughty Ferry practice will automatically transferred to the new owners when they take over on April 25.
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