An astute businessman, Dr. Messenger negotiated a great deal on the property, which includes the inn, restaurant/bar, pool, tennis court and nearly 100 parking spaces. In the meantime, he decided to sell his old location and family's home so that he could move in and tend to his practice.

By April 2011, Dr. Messenger had signed the papers to take ownership of the property, and began working to transform the 4,000-square-foot restaurant and bar area into his practice. He wanted to maintain the integrity of many of the property's unique features, specifically the wood interior.

Dr. Messenger called on the expertise of his longtime Patterson representative, John Manning, with whom he's become good friends. John brought together a team from Patterson that helped Dr. Messenger bring his vision to life. "They helped me with the design. I told them what I wanted to do and they laid it out so it would fit," he said.

For instance, the bookkeeping area is now where a sushi bar used to be, and his two front desk receptionists greet patients from behind the former restaurant's bar. With warm colors and flat screen TVs, the interior of the entire office was designed with patient comfort in mind.

"Our practice is extremely warm and inviting. When you walk in, it feels like you've walked into 'Cheers.' Everybody knows your name," he said. "My goal is to make it to where you want to come into the office and you're not afraid to be here. Most people don't want to leave. We actually have patients who come in here just for coffee."

The operatories feature large picture windows that patients can look out of while having their teeth worked on. To complement the wood walls, floors and ceilings, Dr. Messenger selected wood grain A-dec treatment, central and access consoles. They also store equipment and act as dividers for the operatories, which are open. "All the new equipment that I bought just blended right in."