Sidekick - Volume 2, 2020 - 6

Tales from the Pandemic: A New-Build Dental
Practice Takes Hold in Manhattan
Building out a new dental office at the onset of a global
pandemic sounds like a potential for pandemonium. It could
have been, but it wasn't.
Dr. Leonard Kundel, a holistic dentist from Stamford, Connecticut,
formed the right team, after he and his wife and Practice Manager,
Lena Podolsky, partnered with Henry Schein.
Dr. Kundel believes that the secret to optimal oral health lies
not in the teeth, but in the body, and he takes a holistic slant in
treating patients, focusing on growth and development in children
and adults. Because of his reputation and unique approach, he
sees patients from around the world and many come from New
York City. So, Dr. Kundel decided to open a second location in
Manhattan, Holistic Dentistry.
Dr. Kundel was in negotiations for a space in Manhattan when he
began scoping out ideas for the new equipment and materials
in late November 2018 at the Greater New York Dental meeting.
At the conference, which showcases dentistry innovations from
around the world, he and his wife met Chris Regnier, an Equipment
Sales Specialist for Henry Schein Dental. After getting to know
Mr. Regnier and listening to his ideas and advice, they decided that
both Mr. Regnier's and Henry Schein's industry expertise were a
good fit to help them build out the new Manhattan office.
Knowledge is Power
When the doctor spoke to Mr. Regnier about his plans, he listened
intently and offered advice. " Chris had technical expertise and
was very detailed. He was not selling us but was informing us and
letting us make our own decisions, " explained Ms. Podolsky.
Mr. Regnier, Dr. Kundel, and Ms. Podolsky began working together
in early December 2018. The doctor told Mr. Regnier how he was
planning on treating patients and the types of procedures to be
performed. Mr. Regnier and Henry Schein Integrated Design Studio
strategically and thoughtfully put together a proposal for a newbuild dental practice and planned out the space according to
Dr. Kundel's exact specifications.
" We really needed help in terms of what works and what doesn't, "
said Ms. Podolsky. " Once we had a better understanding of the
approach, we felt comfortable moving forward. " Dr. Kundel and
Ms. Podolsky finalized the purchase of their new office space,
located in a pre-war co-op designed by known architects
Groneberg & Leuchtag, in mid-January 2019 and presented their
plans to the co-op board four months later.

6 | Sidekick | Vol. 2 2020

Dr. Leonard Kundel and his Henry Schein team celebrating the grand
opening of his new practice, Holistic Dentistry.

Hopes of opening in December 2019 faded when co-op board
renovation approvals took longer than anticipated. Delays in the
procurement of European materials, such as Italian acoustical ceilings
and custom lighting, also pushed the completion date further out.
While waiting for the board, Mr. Regnier visited Dr. Kundel's Stamford
office to better understand the doctor's workflow by seeing it in
action. He also took measurements of some of the similar equipment
and dental furnishings to be used in the new practice, before any
purchases were finalized. Mr. Regnier helped Ms. Podolsky button
up equipment purchases, while acting as a go-between for her,
coordinating and planning with the architects and builders.
Going Viral
By the time February 2020 rolled around, Ms. Podolsky, who was
attuned to events overseas, anticipated the worst and wanted to
have the office ready for business in a matter of weeks. " Dr. Kundel
put everything in Lena's capable hands, " says Mr. Regnier. While
she and Dr. Kundel put in longer hours in Stamford to see patients,
anticipating a future shut down, Ms. Podolsky put a line in the sand
for a March 1, 2020 deadline.
Over the next few weeks, every trade that needed to work on the
new office was there working on it. " We had construction workers,
painters, and cabinet installers all working at once, " said Mr. Regnier,
whose days started at 5:30 a.m. overseeing the contractors to ensure
the project went according to plan. He also took the unusual step of
getting the equipment installed before construction was complete.
" We normally would never do this, " he explained. " But this was an
unusual time and we had to make an exception. Lena made a good
decision getting this done before official news of a pandemic. "

Sidekick - Volume 2, 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sidekick - Volume 2, 2020