Dear Friends,
Greetings at this most beautiful time of year! I am writing to inform you that effective today, I have sold my dental practice. However, this is not a letter of goodbye. Allow me to explain.
Three younger dentists have taken ownership of the practice, but the basic structure of Conlin Dental will remain the same. A familiar voice will still answer the phone, assist you with appointments, and guide you through the insurance proceedings. Your cleaning appointments will remain as you have grown accustomed, and for those of you with appointments with me, I will still be there rendering treatment as I always have. For the foreseeable future, little will change.
This transfer of ownership allows me to shed almost all administrative responsibilities associated with running the business. It will also provide me a bit more flexibility to have some time away, especially time to visit with my college-age daughters in Savannah and California. Long term, this will flow into a smooth transition for me into retirement. Most importantly, it will provide for you a continuity of care that is so lacking in today’s medicine and dentistry.
The owner-dentists and I will work together as a collaborative group, with them bringing in fresh ideas to supplement what is already in place. Most significantly, they will establish a system to provide care in-house for many of the procedures that I chose to refer out. Each of them brings a talent that can be used to provide you with the best care possible. Their goal is to function as a group, to provide continuity to you, the patient, and to my staff, for decades to come.
Before I introduce them, let me say that I liked them the first time I met them. That has not changed. There is a kindness that they display when talking among themselves and with me that has been endearing. They are not out to reinvent the wheel. The respect they have for me, for the Conlin legacy, and the systems that I have in place let me know that my practice is in good hands.
Dr. Arpit Patel was born and raised in Philadelphia. After attending Lasalle College Highschool, he decided to take some time to travel abroad where he experienced the cultures of Europe and eventually made his way to India where he completed his dental degree and was able to serve some of the world’s most underserved. After returning home, he volunteered at the Veterans Hospital in Washington DC while successfully finishing his board exams. He graduated from the advanced standing program at Temple University Kornbern School of Dentistry where he was awarded the highest honor of the OKU comprehensive dentistry competition. For the past 5 years, Arpit has worked and served the communities of rural Pennsylvania. Now settled locally with his wife – Trisha, an ICU Pharmacist at Chester County Hospital, and his young son, Arpit looks forward to being a part of the local community and being able to spend more time with his family. His pride in dentistry comes from being able to provide his patients multiple options, especially comprehensive and conservative planning when practical. His interests outside of dentistry include carpentry and all Philadelphia sports.
Dr. Dheeren Padhiar grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and completed his high school education at the Hill School in Pottstown. Later, he spent 8 years in Pittsburg earning both his undergraduate and dental degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Dheeren strongly believes in high quality dentistry and knows the biggest investment is in the latest technologies and continuing education to keep up with the latest trends and treatment modalities. He has taken extensive courses in implant dentistry and other surgical procedures to be able to provide predictable, long-lasting treatment options for patients. When not in the office, Dheeren can be found exploring Philadelphia or traveling when time permits.
While Arpit and Dheeren have different interests within dentistry, they share a common philosophy in the manner they practice – to treat each of you as if you were family, with utmost respect, care, and mindfulness. They are excited to build long-term relationships with each of you, and are honored to serve as your oral health care providers.
I, too, am excited to work side-by-side with these talented dentists. As you come in for your next visit, I hope you leave the appointment sharing my sense of comfort and competency exhibited by these doctors.
Finally, over the years, when I have been faced with big decisions, I often reflect on ‘what would my Dad do?’. For those of you who knew my Dad, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is smiling down on us today.
With sincere thanks to each of you,
Karen C. Conlin, DDS
