As Earth Day approaches, I find myself thinking more deeply about where I spend my time—and more importantly, why.
People often ask two questions these days: “What are you working on now that you’re no longer practicing full-time?” and “Is it true you’re running a farm?”
As it turns out, the answers are more connected than you might expect.
Let’s start with the farm. 47 years ago, I wrote out a list of life goals. Tucked in among the professional ambitions was a personal one: “A small, self-sufficient farm.” That dream quietly stuck with me, simmering on the back burner as I pursued my main calling—dentistry.
And now, nearly 50 years later, on a peaceful piece of land in Little Compton, Rhode Island, my wife Jennifer and I pasture sheep, raise chickens, tend to beehives, and grow everything from hay to berries. (And yes, even making the occasional batch of charcoal.)
When we moved in, the soil was depleted and exhausted. We started composting, and over time, we’ve restored the land to something vibrant and productive. The transformation has deepened my respect for the farmers in our community and has taught me more than I ever expected about patience, resilience, and stewardship.
But while the farm is where I go to think, the work I’m most proud of happens in the factory at our Design Ergonomics campus in Fall River, Massachusetts.
That’s where my days are spent now, engineering, inventing, improving the equipment and systems that dental professionals rely on every day. It’s quiet work, often behind the scenes, but it’s led to a number of patents and innovations along the way.
We’ve even preserved a five-acre nature area right on our campus so our team can step outside and reconnect with the outdoors. I believe inspiration often comes from stepping away from the screen and taking a walk, something I encourage everyone here to do.
In dentistry and farming, the goal is the same: to make things better than you found them. I’ve come to see my role not just as an inventor or entrepreneur but as a steward. Whether that’s tending to soil, supporting our team, or building equipment that helps dental professionals care for more patients with less stress, it’s all part of the same cycle.
Jennifer and I have donated the majority of our property to our local Agricultural Trust to preserve this slice of land for future generations of growers, dreamers, and caretakers. It’s our way of giving back to a community that’s given us so much.
This Earth Day, I’m reflecting on the quiet, consistent effort it takes to improve the things we care about—on the land, in the lab, and in every operatory where our designs are put to work.
From our team at Design Ergonomics, and our farm to yours... Happy Earth Day.
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