Ross says the renovation couldn't have been done without the help of his Patterson team, who put him in touch with the architect and the builder, and helped to make the expansion seamless. “Patterson has been my mainstay supplier for the past 20 years,” said Ross. “They've always taken great care of me. If I need service, a technician is here right away, and service is a big deal - if an air compressor or suction pump breaks it doesn't matter how much technology you have, you're out of business. Whatever we need, the Patterson team is here to keep us running and I don't ever have to second-guess whether I'll get what I've asked for.”

Patterson Equipment Specialist Stephen Smith worked with Ross on several floor plans, in addition to assisting with the selection and maintenance of equipment throughout the years. Ross refers to him as either “a prince, or a genius,” and says he can't come up with enough over-the-top adjectives to describe him. During the renovation, Smith helped incorporate the existing technology including Eaglesoft, Schick digital X-rays, a Sirona GALILEOS, a Sirona XG Plus and two CEREC units into the new space.

Smith calls Ross a forerunner when it comes to technology, because he never sacrifices quality. Ross says that the importance of having top-of-the-line equipment hit home years ago when he attended a continuing education seminar and the instructor posed a question: “If you were treating someone you loved dearly - your nephew, for instance, would you want to treat him with pretty good equipment, or the best equipment?” Ross says that made the decision easy. He made the 65th CEREC purchase in the U.S. in 1991, when it was extremely rare to have the technology, and since then has invested in nothing but the best. When he was named president of the American Academy of Computerized Dentistry in 1994, he was able to share his enthusiasm for advanced dental technology by educating other dentists on CEREC.