Letter from Dr. Alan Stern - October 2023

Dear Friends

I am writing to you today to introduce you to a very special gentleman.

Dr Ravi Shah approached me a few months ago to ask about carrying on the tradition of care that we have established at our office for the past 36 years. Our conversation blew me away. Dr Ravi blends a beautiful balance of skill, hunger for knowledge, and a drive to be the best he can be. He is humble, heartfelt, and cares deeply for people. I would choose him to be my dentist any time. In short, he is exactly the person I would want to continue caring for you. Yes, I mean YOU!

A native of Colonia, NJ, Dr Ravi is a 2015 graduate of Rutgers University and a 2019 graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. Over the past four years, Dr Ravi has compiled a set of achievements that many dentists do not achieve over the course of their entire careers. Not only does Dr. Ravi do all the basics; he also has advanced training in specialty care and continues to learn with a passion I see very rarely in anyone. He has also published research papers, has taught young aspiring professionals, and has already gone on mission trips to treat needy people in our country and abroad.

Most importantly, I like Ravi Shah. A lot! He radiates a warmth and kindness that I hope I have demonstrated to you over the course of my 36 years here and my 42-year career. I am more than delighted to announce to you today that Dr Ravi Shah will continue that tradition right here, in service to you. He is the right person for this practice and I’m excited to watch him grow as he cares for you, your family, your friends, and our community. I will also serve as his coach and mentor as I do for many young dentists.

With a tear in my eye and with excitement for the future, I’ll tell you that it is time for Fran and me to reap the seeds we’ve sown. Many of you know that our daughter, Tracey, and her husband, Patrick are expecting our first grandchild very soon. Fran and I are excited to spend more time with Tracey, Patrick, and our grandson (yes, it’s a boy!). Visits with them, our son, Neil, and our vast circle of friends is taking a very high priority for us. My career in coaching and speaking to other dentists and guiding them to happiness and doing well while doing good is also growing rapidly. I know in my heart that this is what I am supposed to be doing now.

Fran and I will remain present in the practice into early 2024 to introduce you to Dr Ravi, to guide him to maintaining our unique approach to people, and to finish any work we have started for you. Our beloved Jessica will remain here for you, as well. 

We are also very aware that replacing Fran as the face and voice of our practice will be quite a task. We will actively participate in that search and will help Dr Ravi train Fran’s successor.

Words cannot express my gratitude for your faith in me. Some of you have been with me since my days in Middlesex County. Many of you are in the twenty-plus year club, as I have called it. We’ve been to weddings and funerals. We’ve seen many of you through life’s ups and downs. We’ve watched you become parents and grandparents. We’ve made you comfortable and have guided you to better health and have had a lot of laughs and hugs along the way. I’ve told many people that we do not have very many patients in our office; we have friends. That is what you are to us (and what you will be to Dr Ravi).

I will call as many of you as possible in the coming weeks. Feel free to call me whenever you want.

I also hope you will stop over to meet Dr Ravi before your next appointment, if possible- you will love him- and to give Fran and me one more big hug as we begin the next chapter of our lives.

With tears in my eyes, love in my heart, and gratitude in my soul,

Alan Stern