Dear Dennis,

I wanted to thank you for your time to come and speak at the Institute’s Spring Speaker Series. You should know that so many of the people attending had thanked me for the program and for your presence. You touched so many people.

You’ve earned a reputation as a thoughtful and effective physician. My guess is you would have had a similar reputation in any other field you might have gone into. You came to the Upper Valley just a few years before me, and I’ve observed your style for some time. Based on what I’ve seen, this is how it breaks down for me: It starts with genuinely being interested in the person in front of you; being able to communicate with that person through listening, duplicating their viewpoints, and acknowledging them without judging. In finding some element you can admire in each individual, and then helping them achieve what they want, in whatever way they can accept it. I think that’s how you created the strong, lasting relationships that were your hallmark. It seems to me that is also the way you lived your life. You were married to the original gal for 45 years…and happily married. In this time of “evidence-based practice,” there’s the evidence.

I think society has been struggling here a bit Dennis. Technology can be a nice tool, as long as we don’t let it confuse us or interfere with our ability to build relationships with our patients. Thank you for everything Dennis. You really made a difference. I will remember you as I continue to apply what I’ve learned from you in my personal life as well as my professional life.

Appreciatively,

Billy Cioffredi