A Letter from Dr. Todd Ealy
To the Patients of Trenton Dental Center and North River Dental,
Years ago, I heard someone say that “the secret to a happy ending is knowing when to
roll the credits”. Well, it is time for me to roll the credits. I have been privileged and honored to
be your dentist, and have tried my best to put your needs first and to treat each and every one
of you the same way I would want to be treated. Many of you have followed me across town and
many of you drive a long way to see me. Some of you have been with me for over 20 years, and
for that long-lasting trust I am very grateful. I sincerely appreciate all of you for the years you
have given me. Being your dentist has been an incredibly fulfilling experience, and I have
valued getting to know each of you during the time we have spent together. I am very aware that
no one really “likes” going to the dentist, but I hope I was able to make the trip as enjoyable as
possible for you. At the very least, I hope you know how enjoyable you have made it for me.
If you had asked me where I saw myself in the years, just a few months ago I would
have told you that I was planning on staying put. However, the circumstances of one’s life can
change at a moment's notice, and one’s vision for the future along with it. For us, that change
began when my wife was transferred from her job’s Knoxville branch to its Atlanta branch. At
first, the change in location had seemed inconsequential. After all, she had already been driving
back and forth to Knoxville for the last 10 years, and given that both cities are about one-
hundred miles from Chattanooga, surely nothing about her routine would change save for the
destination. Unfortunately, this would not be the case. Nothing is the same. Her commute time
doubled each way, shifting her schedule from do-able to flat-out impossible to keep up with. The
only solution was for her to find a place to live in Atlanta and stay there during the week. After a
few months of this, we realized that this was not sustainable for us and we started trying to find
another solution. This is when I had the fortune to reconnect with Dr. Joel Davis.
I originally met Dr. Davis 10 years ago when I was looking for a partner at my office out
in Ooltewah. I was very impressed with his character and his personality and I was sure he
would be a good fit for all of my patients. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t right for him then, but
recently when we discussed my current situation, he proposed a solution: He offered to buy
both of my offices and take over for me, enabling me to move to Atlanta. Dr. Davis is a very
talented dentist that has earned my trust over the last decade, and I trust that he will do his
utmost to treat all of you with the same honesty and respect that you are accustomed to and
deserve as patients. I am confident that I will be leaving all of my patients in good hands with Dr.
Davis.
Although this move is sudden, I have not made this decision lightly. Life can be fickle at
times. What you envision for yourself in even a week’s time could end up being radically
different from the eventual reality. Thus, it is time for me to say my farewells. I’d like to thank you
all, for both your patronage, and the privilege of being your dentist over these years.
Sincerely,
Todd Ealy, DDS