Meet Dr. Dater

A little about me and my mission.

I’m Suzanne Dater.

I live in an old farmhouse in Denmark with my two beloved Basset hounds and cherished chickens. I also have two beautiful, successful adult children who have “flown the coop”. I very much enjoy puttering in my yard, doing home projects, and entertaining my kids when they come home to roost.

I ‘ve always loved medicine. I began my medical journey as a registered nurse and quickly realized I wanted to offer more. I went back to medical school and became board certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine, and I have been practicing ever since--over 23 years now.

I moved to Bridgton Maine after medical school, my residency, and a chief resident year at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.  After twelve years in Bridgton, I moved my practice to InterMed in Portland.

I’m excited to come home to Bridgton and start my new direct primary care practice.

Despite the pressures by insurance companies and medical management firms for high turnover, I have always tried to take the time needed to know and truly understand my patients and their health needs. Unfortunately, under the current system, this has become increasingly difficult, if not impossible to achieve. My solution to this growing dilemma is direct primary care.

Direct primary care allows me the freedom to focus on my patients’ wellbeing and to do what is best for them and their specific health concerns. I have the time to talk with patients and develop personal health plans for them. This way of practicing medicine is my ideal! It is the way medicine was meant to be practiced.