What a Difference – Dr. M Center

Last October, Dr. Francisco Montamarta and his wife and business manager, Cristina, were cautiously optimistic about their new chapter in the Keys. They had just taken over Dr. Berger’s beloved practice in Key Largo, unsure if the island lifestyle would be a part-time escape or something more. Today, they can’t imagine being anywhere else.

“What a difference a year makes!” Dr. Montamarta says. “We’ve settled into our practice, settled into a new home, and settled into this amazing community that we now get to call home.”

What began as a professional opportunity has blossomed into a complete life transformation. The couple splits their time between their practices, but increasingly, they find themselves drawn back to their little place in the Keys. They’re getting formally registered as locals, embracing the rhythm of island time, and discovering what they’d been missing in the mainland hustle.

“You take a step back and realize there is more to life than working and being a hamster on the wheel,” Dr. M says. “It’s been a positive and most welcome change to our lives.”

The small-town atmosphere has completely won them over, reminding Dr. M of growing up in Spain and how the small villages were paragons of community. Like in those villages, Keys people come together to celebrate, support, and encourage each other. Dr. M and Cristina recently experienced a perfect example of this at the Good Health Clinic’s Big Kahuna charity dinner.

The Montamartas sponsored a local dentist competing for the Big Kahuna title, helping raise funds for free healthcare for Keys residents who can’t afford it. The event had a quintessential Keys atmosphere where strangers became friends and all were gathering for a worthy cause.

But what a difference that night made when a conversation with a doctor on the clinic’s board opened their eyes to a pressing need. When Dr. M asked about dental care for underserved patients, he learned that a bus from the University of Miami only visits every few months—not nearly enough for a community of this size.

“We see an opportunity where our experience and connections can make a difference in this community we have quickly come to love,” Cristina says, referring to their experience with a similar program at their Broward office and their connections to foreign-trained dentists who volunteer their services.

The couple is now working to bring volunteer dentists to the Keys through the Good Health Clinic, connecting with colleagues from Miami to provide palliative care for locals in need. It’s early stages, but the vision is clear: getting locals out of pain and giving them hope.