And then Dr. Fischer thought of the old Ariel Bookstore. He knew it was empty and had most recently been occupied by a restaurant. He knew the owners were looking to sell. And, most importantly, he felt it was the best building in the best location in New Paltz.

“It’s a lovely building. Even though I had this catastrophe to deal with, things really came into place,” he said. “We found a temporary office to practice in quickly, all the permits fell into place and things came together nicely. It kept things running – well, I kept running – from meetings on construction, equipment selection, electrical layouts and there was always something.”

The three-month window within which Dr. Fischer had to vacate his office of 20-plus years wasn’t ideal. But with the help of the Patterson team, he kept his practice open while the new 3,100-square-foot space was being renovated. Though he’d been practicing for more than 30 years, he found Patterson’s expertise on the floor plan invaluable.

“I had chosen the chairs and cabinetry and what I wanted with those chairs. [Patterson] came in and had their drafts people design the office; we went through several iterations of that until we all agreed it would work,” he said. “I had just purchased CEREC before I found out I was losing my lease, and I knew I wanted to showcase that.”

The new office would also showcase GALILEOS, which Dr. Fischer had decided to add. According to Dambra, the transition Dr. Fischer was making was more than just geographical – it was philosophical as well. “His horizons broadened,” Dambra said. “Now, he’s doing things with the GALILEOS, airways, implants and getting a lot more involved in new techniques. A man who was close to retiring now has a whole different outlook on dentistry. It was fun to be part of that, and rewarding to see that transition take place. I just think he’s much happier.”