A Legacy Reborn: Harbor Lights Dental Care Celebrates a Grand Reopening 124 Years in the Making
In Grand Haven, history isn’t just preserved in museum exhibits or old photographs—it lives on through the people and institutions that have shaped the community for generations. This week, one of the city’s longstanding pillars turned the page into a new era. Harbor Lights Dental Care, now led by Dr. Colin Pellegrom, celebrated its Grand Reopening with a ribbon cutting and open house that honored a remarkable 124-year legacy while looking boldly toward the future.
Held at the practice’s office inside the Professional Arts Building at 575 Robbins Road, the event welcomed staff, longtime patients, families, stakeholders, and community members. Guests were greeted with live music, food, games, and tours of the updated office. The celebration served as both a tribute to the past and a warm introduction to the next generation of dental care in Grand Haven.
A Four-Generation Journey Begins in 1901
To understand the significance of this moment, it’s worth stepping back to where the story began.
The practice traces its origins to 1901, when Dr. John Meiras, a University of Michigan School of Dentistry graduate, founded his dental office in Grand Haven. After earning his degree in 1898, Dr. Meiras set out to bring modern dental care to a growing lakeshore community. Over the years, his practice occupied several locations—including the second story of the historic Peoples Savings Bank, once located at the southeast corner of Washington Avenue and Third Street.
Dr. Meiras made his mark not only by serving patients for decades but also by setting a foundation of integrity and care that would carry the practice forward long after his retirement.
In 1950, Dr. Meiras hired a young and promising dentist, Dr. Jack Leitner, who would play a defining role in the decades to come. Five years later, Meiras retired, leaving the practice in Leitner’s capable hands. Over the next several decades, Dr. Leitner relocated the practice twice before establishing a long-term home in 1986 inside the Professional Arts Building—where Harbor Lights Dental Care still resides today.
The Leitner Legacy: Innovation, Education, and a Community-First Philosophy
When Dr. Jack Leitner began leading the practice, dentistry was on the verge of dramatic technological transformation. His son, Dr. John Leitner, remembers it well.
“Dad was part of a long and storied history here in Grand Haven, and a lot has changed since he took over the practice in 1955,” he shared during the reopening ceremony.
John eventually followed in his father’s footsteps, running his own dental office in Pennsylvania before returning to Grand Haven to take over the family practice. In 1990, he officially stepped into the role his father held for decades and set to work modernizing the clinic—not for the sake of novelty, but for the benefit of patients.
Dr. Leitner invested in advanced laser technology, powerful microscopes, and state-of-the-art 3D imaging equipment. His approach wasn’t just about achieving better treatment outcomes—it was about elevating transparency, precision, and education for patients.
“There are only 25 offices in the state of Michigan that have this particular laser,” he noted at the event. “And not nearly enough are using microscopes. If they did, it would raise the level of oral care tremendously.
For decades, Dr. Leitner became known not only as a skilled clinician, but as an educator and mentor. He lectured, consulted, and encouraged other dentists to embrace technology as a means of providing gentler, more effective care. His leadership set a new standard for what a small-town dental practice could be.
Welcoming a New Chapter: Dr. Colin Pellegrom Takes the Lead
When Dr. Colin Pellegrom joined the practice, he brought a deep respect for its history—as well as a commitment to carrying its values into the future.
“Dr. Leitner is a pioneer of sorts,” he said. “Aside from his work at this practice, he has been consulting and lecturing dentists on the benefits of enhanced technology for years. He genuinely puts patient care first, and uses technology to provide gentle and effective treatment.”
Born and raised in the Grand Haven area, Dr. Pellegrom shared that returning home to care for his community has been a personal goal for years. His admiration for Dr. Leitner’s work ethos and his desire to build on a century-old foundation made for a natural transition in ownership.
Following the leadership handoff, Dr. Pellegrom quickly began putting his mark on the practice. Guided by the same evidence-based philosophy that has defined the clinic for generations, he expanded the team and upgraded the technology infrastructure—investing more than $130,000 in new equipment, tools, and modernization.
In addition, he hired three new staff members to support the evolving needs of patients and to create a more welcoming, collaborative environment inside the office.
Continuing a Tradition of Excellence Through Technology
Harbor Lights Dental Care now stands as one of the most technologically advanced dental offices in the region. Patients benefit from:
Laser Dentistry:
For precise and gentle treatment of soft tissue conditions with quicker healing and less discomfort.
Operating Microscopes:
Allowing for highly detailed visualization during complex procedures—something only a small fraction of dental offices nationwide utilize.
3D Cone Beam Imaging:
Enabling safer, more accurate diagnosis and treatment planning for dental implants, root canals, oral surgery, and more.
These tools support a treatment philosophy grounded in accuracy, effectiveness, and patient comfort—an approach that resonates with today’s patients while honoring the legacy built by the Meiras and Leitner families.
A Celebration of Community Connection
The Grand Reopening wasn’t simply about unveiling a redesigned office. It was a celebration of community partnerships, shared history, and the relationships built over more than a century of service.
Guests enjoyed an afternoon of live music, complimentary food and drinks, family-friendly games, and opportunities to meet both longtime staff and new team members. The ribbon cutting ceremony symbolized both continuity and renewal—a gesture that acknowledged 124 years of excellence while embracing the promise of the decades to come.
For Dr. Pellegrom, the event also carried a personal note.
“John has been an incredible friend and mentor to me and this community,” he said. “Like him, I aspire to be an active resource to the town I grew up in and love—not only in dental care, but supporting events and local organizations as well.”
Honoring the Past While Protecting the Future
Though recently retired, Dr. John Leitner continues to serve Harbor Lights Dental Care as an advisor. His ongoing presence ensures that the knowledge, principles, and legacy of the practice remain a guiding force as Dr. Pellegrom leads it into the next chapter.
From Dr. Meiras in 1901 to Dr. Leitner in 1990 to Dr. Pellegrom today, the practice has been defined by a clear thread: a commitment to high-quality, compassionate, forward-thinking dentistry rooted in serving the people of Grand Haven. The Grand Reopening was not just a celebration of a renovated office—it was a celebration of four generations of expertise, mentorship, and community connection. And now, with new leadership and new technology, Harbor Lights Dental Care is poised to carry that legacy another century into the future.
This story was featured on local new publication MLIVE.
