The Albury dentist, who died on September 6 aged 65, has been hailed for his professionalism, leadership and warmth over nearly 40 years of treating Border patients.

Colleague Iain Mentiplay, who took Dr Poyner’s Englehardt Street practice in 2007 after working with him for five years, said he “gave a lot and didn’t ask a lot in return”.

“Patients were very loyal to him, so he must have been doing something right,” Dr Mentiplay said.

“Patients requested specifically to see Jim, that’s the best endorsement.”

Orthodontist Allan Ward echoed Dr Mentiplay’s sentiment, describing Dr Poyner as “extremely warm and friendly, but the consummate professional”.

“He was passionate about his dentistry and his patients adored him, as it should be,” Dr Ward said.

“A number of staff used him as their dentist and were happy to take their children and grandchildren to him.”

Dr Poyner moved to Albury in 1975, having followed his wife Jill, who he met while both were dentistry students at Sydney University.

His first job after graduating had been touring NSW on a publicly-funded dental clinic train.

In Albury Dr Poyner initially practised alongside Herbert Wolmers in an Olive Street clinic above the Hume Building Society.

He moved to Englehardt Street in 1986 and was involved in forming the Border Dental Study Group and was president of the southern division of the Australian Dental Association.

Through his membership of the Albury North Rotary Club, Dr Poyner made trips to India in 2002 and 2004 and treated the teeth of Tibetan refugees.

He was also involved in starting the Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment on the Border, travelled to Fiji to help build huts and was a foundation member of the Border Bushwalking Club.

Two weeks after retiring from full-time work in 2014 Dr Poyner was diagnosed with cancer of the sinus.

He is survived by his wife Jill, who worked alongside him for decades, children Kate and Tom and three grandchildren.

His funeral drew 300 mourners to Mirambeena at Lavington on Thursday.