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Dr. Kirsch purchases Wainman's dental practice
When disaster struck in May 2013, it would have been easy for Dr. Perry Wainman to walk away from his Greencastle dental practice.
After all, the fire that damaged much of a block of East Washington Street gutted the inside of Wainman's building. Already past the age when many retire, Wainman could have taken the insurance money and walked away after more than 40 years.
Instead, Wainman worked even harder, temporarily moving his office up the street to space within the building owned by optometrist Dr. Russell Elliot.
Along the way, Wainman was also named the 2013 Putnam County Citizen of the Year by the Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce, in no small part because he didn't ride off into the sunset when so many thought he might.
In the meantime, crews were rebuilding and modernizing the office at 18 E. Washington St. so that in July 2014 Wainman and his staff moved back into a shiny, new facility in the revamped building.
More than two years after that milestone, Wainman has made the announcement that many in the community might have expected sooner.
Earlier this month, Wainman passed the reins of the business over to Dr. Elizabeth Kirsch, a fellow Indiana University School of Dentistry graduate who has previously practiced dentistry in the Fort Wayne area.
"Dr. Kirsch and I share the same convictions of patient care," Wainman wrote in a letter to his patients earlier this month. "We have a kindred spirit in our conservative approach to dentistry to always put the patient's needs and concerns first and we both love people."
Kirsch is a 2011 graduate of IU School of Dentistry who has already relocated to Greencastle along with husband David and their children, 5-year-old Adelaide and 3-year-old Otto.
A Pittsboro native, Kirsch said she was excited to find such an opportunity in a small town in West Central Indiana.
"It's just such a great town. I love it," Kirsch said. "I love that (the practice) is right off of town square. I love the historic building but -- unfortunately, because of the fire -- it's up to date."
That up-to-date building was important for Wainman and one of the reasons he took his time finding a dentist to take over the practice. He wanted everything just right with the facility before someone else became responsible for it.
"When I walk out of this, I want to walk out with my head high and make sure the person behind me doesn't have any regrets," Wainman said.
Wainman had looked at another succession plan prior to the fire but changed course after misfortune struck.
Since rebuilding, other offers have been entertained, but never got far. Wainman didn't find the match he really wanted until he worked with Thad Miller of DDS Match, who brought Wainman and Kirsch together.
Kirsch had a similar experience.
"I had looked at others," Kirsch said. "I walked in here and knew it was the one."
Wainman also emphasized that Kirsch isn't exactly replacing him just yet. The business is now in Kirsch's hands and she will take on more and more of the load as time passes.
But the familiar face isn't going away just yet.
"I'm going to still be here," Wainman said, "but I'm not going to be the boss."
Telling his patients in the letter "it's time to slow down," Wainman explained the decision a bit further.
"I am so excited to pass on the business side of dentistry to Dr. Kirsch so that I may slow down and enjoy the relationships in my life and still do what I'm passionate about," he wrote. "You will still see me as I help her get established and acquainted with the practice."
In the meantime, though, Perry and wife Rose have the chance to step away from the business at times to enjoy other things life has to offer.
No retirement date has been set. For now, Wainman looks forward to slowing down, not stopping.
"I'm not replacing him," Kirsch said. "I'm standing beside him."