Portland, ME- The American Dental Association recently awarded Dr. Erastus Kaminski it’s “Longevity Award” recognizing him for his over 70 years of service as a dentist. While Dr. Kaminski never graduated from dental school he was grandfathered in (literally) and awarded an honorary Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1980 at the age of 60.

“Growing up in rural Maine, I just found I had a knack for teeth. I just loved to tinker and I had a way with chisels, hammers and the like. Folks started coming from far and wide to have me give ‘em the old Kaminski treatment. A little bit of grandpa’s cough medicine to calm ‘em down and then I’d get to work fixing up their smile with a collection of sea shells I’d found on the coast.”, says Dr. Kaminski

Counting his unlicensed years of practice, starting in 1948, Dr. Kaminski has seen generations of Maineiacs. And even today at 98 Dr. Kaminski shows no signs of slowing down. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to.”, says Dr. Kaminski. Is it the love of his patients and dentistry that has kept him in it for so long we asked? “No.” Said Dr. Kaminski flatly. “I’ve had children with so many of my dental assistants, I’ve got a lot of mouths to feed.”