Yep, that's why I included the dentist example. So maybe, if the town actually succeeds in attracting and retaining a dentist, people don't need to leave town

Yep, that's why I included the dentist example. So maybe, if the town actually succeeds in attracting and retaining a dentist, people don't need to leave town for that service. But there are many other services people want or need, some of which won't be available locally. It's a big world out there, but cars have made it so much smaller. I'd imagine people in this town would still be constantly hopping in their cars to run to Costco, go on dates, take grandma to chemo, etc. There's a reason most car-less Americans live in NYC, DC, SF, etc. You can get everything you need there without a car. Small-town America does not offer the same and I doubt this idea would change that.