Dr. J. Scott Duff, III Retirement Announcement
July 15, 2025
Dear Drs. Duff & Richardson patients,
I am writing this letter to share my intentions to retire on December 31st, 2025. This decision comes with deep reflection and immense gratitude for each of you who entrusted me with your oral health.
I have been truly blessed in my life and my career. My wife Cheryl has been there from the beginning- the decision to go back to school, funding my education, helping navigate the challenges of running a busy practice and supporting the practice with her time and accounting talents. I couldn’t have done it without her and I look forward to sharing the next chapters of life that come our way.
What a privilege it was to have been able to work with my Dad for 8 years prior to his retirement. This time enabled me to glean from his vast dental experiences and know him beyond the typical father-son relationship. I will always treasure those years and that opportunity and experience.
I enjoyed a wonderful 25 year partnership with Dr. Robert Y Cox. We shared a lot of life’s peaks and valleys over the years- caring for patients, supporting our staff, raising children, caring for aging parents and getting through the pandemic! I can’t imagine having done it with anyone else and I am thankful for the love, encouragement and friendship the last 33 years have provided. I hope there is an occasional vacancy on his lunch calendar in the future for us to stay connected!
And for the past 2.5 years I have loved working with Dr Anna Richardson. Anna’s transition from “associate” to partner could not have been simpler. Anna‘s charming people skills, attention to detail and dental knowledge instantly made her an asset to the practice. And, it sure didn’t hurt that she is a small town Georgia transplant! It has been a joy to watch her practice and family grow and I will certainly miss our partnership!
I hope by now that most of you have had the opportunity to meet our “associate” Dr. John Collie. Dr Collie will be assuming my partnership role and caring for all of my wonderful patients. In his time here, he has provided attentive, skilled care for all of our patients and I am confident that he will continue to provide the personal care he is known for. If you haven’t had the opportunity to meet him, I would be happy to make the introduction next time you are in the office! Dr. Collie’s future is very bright.
I am so thankful for all of the support our past and present staff has provided. We all know “it takes a village” and I owe them all much gratitude. For many patients this ends a 56 year run of Duff dental care at 4909 Grove Avenue. I can assure you that you are in very capable hands with Dr. Richardson and Dr. Collie, for they will continue providing excellent care for your families for the next decades!
Both John and Anna have embraced the practice’s Mission Statement- Dental Care…People Care and they have assured me they will continue this type of personal service where the patients are treated as family and friends. This makes my heart happy! I hope you will continue your support of this practice.
Thank you so much for your patronage and may God bless you all with fair winds and following seas.
Sincerely,
J. Scott Duff III, DDS
From Our Family to Yours… Creating Miles of Smiles Since 1969!
I began my practice in February, 1959 at 8810 Patterson Avenue, sharing office space with a general physician. I was there until the spring of 1963, when I moved to a new medical office complex at 5700 West Grace Street (Grace Medical Village).
My brother, Karl, was released from the Navy and came into practice with me in July 1965, at the same location. He moved his practice to Powhatan Court House in 1968 and I was alone again.
I bought an old Pure Oil Station at 4909 Grove Avenue in the fall of 1968, and converted it to a 3 unit office building. We moved the practice to this location in September 1969.
Dr. Marion Woolard and Dr. Gary Maynard occupied the other offices.
My son, Dr. Scott Duff, III joined the practice in 1992 and bought my half of the practice in 1995. I continued to practice with them until March 2000 when I retired.
J. Scott Duff, Jr. DDS