I was asked to write a few words about my upcoming retirement the end of June.  Yes, it is going to happen and I am looking forward to it after being in dentistry either as a student, a naval officer, or a private practitioner for 49 years!  I became a dentist because I wanted to help people get healthy in some way.  I had a choice of going to either dental school or medical school and I guess you know which one I chose.  And I am extremely grateful that I did.

Over the years I have met so many incredible people in my practice that it is hard to describe how blessed I feel.  Dentistry has opened doors to many other endeavors for me, too.  Some of the highlights for me have been opening my own practice in 1974 (shared with Dr. Frank Adshead at the time), getting introduced to holistic concepts in the late 70’s, helping advance those concepts throughout my career, starting Dancing With The Dentists, and many more things I won’t bore you with.

By far and away, the most important blessing is the people I have been honored to work with – many for decades! I have an incredible staff of highly trained, compassionate and humor-oriented women.  Without our humor every day it would not be fun coming in to “drill, fill, and bill.” And, in particular, I’d like to give a big thanks to Francine, who had been my assistant for over 40 years. We love to take the time with people that they need.  I often tell people “I do dentistry between having a conversation with them.”  I think, that between all of us we have over 300 years of experience!  And much of that at Falmouth Dental Arts!

Falmouth Dental Arts is a reflection of our values, which did not appear out of thin air.  Our mission and values are a product of all the hard work we have put in as a team.  Countless hours of staff meetings, self-improvement, mission statement building, trainings, continuing education and, last but not least, parties and fun.  We are very picky about who makes it on this team.  We are all protective of our culture.  Since we all own it, working here is a breeze for me.  I have never seen a staff like this and I don’t think there will be another one.

The greatest gift I can give to you is to have this practice continue providing you with the treatment you have come to expect and deserve.  That is why I am proud that Dr. Brian Brunacini and Dr. Antonios Karagiorgos are going to continue making Falmouth Dental Arts the place to go for your care and the care of friends and relatives.  I could not have chosen any better (and they are younger!).  They have both demonstrated wonderful care, skill, and judgment in what they do.

I have had an incredible time at Falmouth Dental Arts and have had decades of relationships with many of my patients.  I have been losing my primary care practitioners to retirement, too.  It’s difficult.  But my hope is that, when I hang up the drill in June, I can look back and we can say together, “Wow! That was great!”