Staff photo by Clay Schuldt Local orthodontist Dr. Carlin Wiemers celebrated his retirement after 38 years with his wife and staff Tuesday. Many of the Southern Minnesota Orthodontics staff were former patients of Dr. Wiemers. He estimated seeing between 9,000 and 10,000 patients over his career. From left, Kelly Larson, Jenny Olson, Char Reinhart-Kalk, Joanne Wiemers, Dr. Carlin Wiemers, Tabbie Mortenson, Dr. Mitchell Hemann and Jessie Anderson.

NEW ULM — Tuesday, the staff of Southern Minnesota Orthodontics celebrated Dr. Carlin Wiemers’ retirement at George’s.

Dr. Weimers worked with Southern Minnesota Orthodontics for 38 years. The orthodontics business has offices in New Ulm and Mankato. Dr. Wiemer said his first day working as an orthodontist in New Ulm was July 5, 1983. His last day was Tuesday, August 31, also in New Ulm.

Wiemers has helped realign the smiles of thousands of patients in the New Ulm and Mankato area. He estimates that in his nearly 40-year career he saw between 9,000 and 10,000 patients. Several of his colleagues at Southern Minnesota Orthodontics were former patients.

Coworker Jenny Olson said she was one of Dr. Wiemers’ first patients. She first came to his office when she was 11 and she was there to celebrate his retirement.

Wiemers is a graduate of the College of Dentistry at the University of Iowa. While attending dental school, Weimers was drawn to orthodontics because as a child he had braces. He soon began to specialize in the field.

Wiemers said he enjoyed working in the field.

“Typically people don’t look forward to visiting a dentist,” he said, “but it is all worth it to see those happy smiles when it is over.”

A happy smile is the goal of his profession.

In nearly four decades of working as an orthodontist, Wiemers saw many changes, mostly in terms of technology. He remembered his college only had a single computer on campus. Now state-of-art computers are being used in every orthodontist’s office to create a 3D mapping of a person’s mouth.

“There has been a lot of technical improvements, but people grow the same way,” he said. “The principle of braces is the same.”

The need to realign teeth has not changed, but the method of doing it has. There are more options available. It is also never too late to have teeth realigned.

Wiemers said a little over 20% of his patients were kids, but he also saw adults and senior citizens. Wiemers was seeing patients in New Ulm up until Tuesday.

In retirement, he plans to tackle maintenance to his home. He and his wife have also ordered an RV for vacations. Wiemers said they will keep busy.