SKANEATELES - David Petters chose to open his chiropractic office in Skaneateles years ago because there seemed to be a void of that service.

Now the doctor teaches at a nearby chiropractic college part time while continuing his New Seneca Turnpike practice, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month.

Petters first started his business, now called Skaneateles Chiropractic Office, in Marcellus in 1988, while keeping his eye out for a place to move into the small town.

The Long Island native left the metropolitan area in hopes of founding a smaller practice that could make a difference. His wife and he stumbled on Skaneateles one day in the 1980s, and they decided the town was for them.

“We just happen to be driving through it and of course it's enchanting. So we did a little more research and decided to try to have a small-town practice there,” he said.

Part of that research was to examine the medical services offered in the town, which at the time included seven dentists but no chiropractor.

Petters celebrated his two decades in the Finger Lakes and the 3,000 patients he's seen through those years during a party Friday.

His smaller practice allows him to get to know his patients and watch their progress, something he was aiming for with the hands-on treatment.

“I wanted to go to a place where I thought I could make a difference, preferably where they needed a chiropractor,” Petters said.

“I wanted the situation where I had people starting with me and if things worked out, then they would stay with me, and then I would see their kids - the old country doctor kind of thing,” he said.

Petters first became interested in the healing art because of the one-on-one ability to make a difference, and see that difference over time. He enjoys working with people and educating people.

Many times, his consultation is more than physical adjustments. Petters discusses posture, exercises, stretching, even nutrition as factors in a person's health.

Another positive aspect to his smaller practice is his ability to walk to work. This means if someone has a lot of pain, he can meet the patient at the office in five minutes. A recent call reminded Petters of the uniqueness. A specialist recently told him the next available time slot was in November.

Besides watching his practice grow over the years, he's been able to watch his college expand as well. The 52-year-old works part time as a professor at New York Chiropractic College. He actually graduated from this institution in 1986 when it was still in Long Island. After he settled in Skaneateles, the college relocated to Seneca Falls in 1991.

He teaches technique and treatment to students.

He also educates people on the wide range of chiropractic medicine. He looks at the bones and muscles, and their affect on the nervous system. Most people make appointments because of back, neck or shoulder pain. However, during treatment, they often tell Petters about other conditions or seemingly unrelated pains going away.

“That's one of the things that makes (this practice) fun is that not everybody has a back pain,” Petters said. “Every so often, we have someone coming in for something different and we'll say let see if we can help you with that - it's always worth a try because there's really no downside.”