01/06/2026
To my dear patients,
It has been the honor of my life to serve you and your families as your dentist for nearly 40 years. With joy in my heart and a tear in my eye, I have decided to retire from the active practice of dentistry. While you may still see me from time to time in the office covering for Dr. Steph and Dr. Hamidi, or caring for a special needs patient, it is more likely you will find me swimming around the pier, surfing at surfers point, or cycling down the promenade.
Dentistry for me has been a career of tremendous joy because of the blessing of being able to be a part of your lives, and a part of the lives of the many students I taught at UCLA. The deep trust and affection that so many of you have shared with me is a gift and honor I will treasure the rest of my life.
My last 10 years have been particularly joyful as I was able to practice side by side with my dear daughter, Dr. Steph. Five of those years we served together as co-instructors at the UCLA Center for Esthetic Dentistry. Many of you have heard the story that in 6th grade, Dr. Steph declared that she was going to be a dentist and practice with her daddy. It has been a dream come true for both of us.
I could not be prouder of Dr. Steph as she has poured her heart into our practice embracing and nurturing our founding principles of compassion, competence, and commitment. Later this year, she will be awarded her Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry, an honor bestowed on less than 2% of dentists, making her the only active dentist in Ventura with the title of Master.
With Dr. Hamidi on that same mastership track, and our entire team on a continuum of leading-edge training, I leave you in the best of hands.
Thank you from the depths of my heart for allowing me and my team to serve you over the last four decades.
Sincerely,
Philip J. Kroll, DDS, MS, MAGD
Master of the Academy of General Dentistry
