By Dr. Richard Wolfert, DMD  
The Toothboss, www.toothboss.com

Last month, I mentioned a meet-and-greet at my practice for our new dentist Dr. Jonathan Alihosseini, DMD, or Dr. J, as he goes by. The questions asked were probably more revealing than the answers Dr. J provided.
Why it matters
Sure, there were questions about Jonathan’s approach to dental care. For example, he prefers a conservative approach, offering treatment in phases rather than trying to do too much all at once. Yet, there were just as many questions that could be deemed personal.
Going deeper
For example, visitors asked Jonathan where he grew up (Salem), where he went to grade school (St. Joseph’s in Medford), high school (Malden Catholic), college (UMass-Lowell) and dental school (Boston University’s Goldman School of Dental Medicine). Even more interesting, he was asked when he decided he wanted to become a dentist. Jonathan said it was his dream since he was 11 years old.
And that got me thinking.
The reason why
Many Toothboss patients have been coming to this practice for 30, 40, 50, and even 60 years. I’ve been a familiar face for them for most of that period. I went through a similar onboarding as Jonathan did some 34 years ago. For more people than I probably realize, knowing me and our staff is just as important as the dental treatment they receive.
So, the more personal questions made sense until I thought about it a little more. Then I realized that most people don’t know as much about me.
The Toothboss
My family moved around a lot in my early years, bouncing around from Braintree to Longmeadow to Norwell and finally to Hingham, where I went to high school. I attended UVM for my undergrad and went to Tufts for my dental training. I also was a member of the military and retired from the National Guard in 2015 as a full “bird” colonel after 33 years of military service.
I have three brothers and a sister. I’m the baby.
My upbringing and The Toothboss
Bouncing around so much as a kid made it difficult to make and keep friends. In many ways, I view treating patients as a form of friendship. You also get to learn a lot about people and vice versa, which is kind of why it’s taken me this long to bring in another dentist.
I value my relationships with patients like I would like that of a friend. And I want to make sure the care they receive from my ultimate successor is as good or better than what I can provide.
All that from Day 1
Jonthan did well on his first day. He was personable in responding to questions and with the care he imparted on the patients he did see. It would not surprise me in the least if we went from meet-and-greets to Dr. J’s calendar extending beyond Wednesdays.
For now, we’ll say phase 1 of the transition was a success.
Looking for a new dentist? Give us a call at 781-335-0604.

About the Author: Dr. Richard Wolfert, DMD is the owner of The Toothboss, 1121 Main St., South Weymouth. For more information, call 781-335-0604 or visit www.toothboss.com.