By Sarah Opdahl

New Fairfield Dental, at 132 CT-37 Unit b in the center of town, is happily celebrating 50 years in business. For founder Steve Hanrahan, whose son-in-law Josh Quinby has now taken over the practice, the milestone approached surprisingly fast, following decades of prioritizing excellent care for area residents.

For Steve, the anniversary naturally takes him back to his beginnings, when he and his wife, Lynne, were originally determining where to settle after heading out from Long Island, where they both grew up. Having just fulfilled duties in the Air Force, “Lynne and I traveled up the coast as far as Rhode Island asking dentists if they needed another dentist in their town. There were no positive responses. We saw

Candlewood Lake on the map and decided to head in that direction.” In New Fairfield, they had their first warm welcome from Dr. Mandino DDS. “The next step was to find a place to set up a dental practice. At the time, the only professional building existed simply as a sign in a field saying, ‘Coming soon, New Fairfield’s first professional building,’” Steve shared. At the suggestion of the local MD, Dr. Thomas Dwyer, they created a home practice on Colonial Road with the help of a local builder, Joe NoveIla. A true family business, then and now, Lynne was the first receptionist and assistant. At the start, they made the house work well for their young family, “The office grew both by square footage and staff over the next 37 years. In 2013, we moved to its present location across from the New Fairfield Senior Center and next to Northwell Health on Rt.37.”

Heading the practice now, Josh says that carrying on the legacy his father-in-law built is “a bit intimidating, to be honest. Dr. Hanrahan was a pillar of the community for a long time in New Fairfield. He was involved in the Lions Club, in the Zoning Commission, the Booster Club, and so many other organizations that helped New Fairfield become what it is today.” Going on, Josh reflected, “He is an exceptional dentist and an exceptional person in general. He would tell you that he had a lot of help from his wife, Lynne and his staff—which is true—but he really played, and continues to play, the part of a dedicated, honest, hardworking member of the community. I really hope that people talk about me the way they speak about him someday.”

Over the years, so many parts of the business have changed, largely through modernization of equipment, from wet developing vs. digital films, no gloves to nearly ubiquitous use, and amalgam (silver fillings) vs. tooth-colored to impression material vs. scans, electric handpieces vs. air driven, and the list goes on. Overarchingly though, the business remains the same: rooted in the mission “to always explain all of the options of treatment and do what’s best for each patient to the best of your ability,” Steve noted. Josh explained that the practice is fundamentally “a technologically advanced ‘home town’ dental practice. We do a bit of everything, including completing crowns in a single day.” He went on to say, “However, it’s more than the large variety of services available to patients that is important to us. We want to make sure that patients feel welcome and comfortable in a clinical environment. Patients shouldn’t feel anxious about asking questions or be surprised about anything during a procedure that’s completed. We want everyone who comes through the door to feel at ease and informed throughout their visit with us.”  

Steve shared, “I have always said to patients that I am treating them as if it were me sitting in the dental chair,” which Josh continues to do today. They believe in the importance of the following wholeheartedly: to always do your best and treat patients as you would family members; to never ask staff to do things that you wouldn’t do; that word of mouth is the best way to grow a practice; that continuing education is a must; and that giving back to the town by participating in town government, coaching, and clubs is truly important.

With a large fraction of their clients from the local area, especially New Fairfield and Sherman, there remains a hometown vibe to the practice that began when it opened in 1976. Josh remarked that one of his favorite aspects of the practice is “the people and sense of community. It’s a small town, and I feel great seeing familiar faces when going out around town.” Likewise, Steve enjoyed that aspect as well, saying “Running into people and knowing so much of their history and family was special.” In turn, it is also one of the pieces he misses most in retirement.

Both Steve and Josh were effusive in their praise of the former and current staff at the practice. “There’s no way I could do what I do during the day without a staggering amount of preparation and help from everyone I work with. Dentistry is a team sport. To be on a winning team everyone has to communicate well and be on the same page. We have a wonderful team that always puts the patient first and is willing to go the extra mile to make sure our patients feel good about a visit to our office,” Josh stressed. He went on to say, “Dentistry is a team sport. To be on a winning team everyone has to communicate well and be on the same page. We have a wonderful team that always puts the patient first and is willing to go the extra mile to make sure our patients feel good about a visit to our office,” Josh stressed. Steve added, “I would like to thank all the staff that I have worked with over the years, as I would not have been able to accomplish what I have without them. I have always tried to treat our staff as a family.”

New Fairfield Dental has celebrated the anniversary with a special banner that hangs in the office and thanks patients for their continued trust and support. They toasted the milestone with the staff’s favorite—an ice cream cake shared with Steve. They plan to best acknowledge the moment by simply staying consistently helpful to patients and continuing to be there for the community. Meanwhile Steve, who still swings by to take a hand in the landscaping, is enjoying a lively retirement including “woodworking, boating, attempting golf,” he added, “spending time with my wife, kids, and grandkids have made this segment of life most enjoyable.”

Please visit Newfairfielddental.com for more information and to schedule an appointment. Josh and all of the staff will be glad to welcome you to the practice.