Cathy Dobson When Dr. Michael Rondinelli began scouting out a second location for his dental practice, Corunna quickly became the natural choice.
Cathy Dobson
When Dr. Michael Rondinelli began scouting out a second location for his dental practice, Corunna quickly became the natural choice.
He grew up in Sarnia and his parents operated three pizzerias; the flagship called Rondo’s Pizza Plus in Bright’s Grove, another in Petrolia and a third in Corunna.
“The Corunna store was always very busy,” he says. “All the plants ordered pizza during the shutdowns and we focused a lot of our family time out here.
“I grew up representing the family business at the Captain Kidd Day parade. I was the Ninja Turtle eating pizza on the float.”
So once Rondinelli’s Lambton Family Dental practice in Sarnia was firmly established he leased space for a second clinic at 360 Lyndoch St. in Corunna.
“My experience growing up in the restaurant business taught me a lot about the demographics in Corunna,” he said. “There are a lot of young families out here and it has definitely been underserviced.
“Now we are here with virtually every dental service in one place. It’s one-stop shopping.”
Since opening Riverview Family Dental in August, Rondinelli, 32, and Dr. Alan Poole, 27, have found they are drawing clients from as far away as Port Lambton, Wallaceburg and Chatham, as well as the immediate Corunna area.
“We’re doing something a little different and providing services that are not often offered elsewhere,” Rondinelli said.
He pointed to the high volume of dental implants he and Poole do at the new clinic.
Riverview Family Dental also offers sleep dentistry for all procedures, even teeth cleaning, if necessary.
“People come to us who are scared and need to be asleep,” Rondinelli explained. “One woman came to us after avoiding dental care for 20 years because she was so worried about pain.”
The clinic uses the services of a nurse and an anesthesiologist to provide sleep dentistry at a cost of $375 an hour.
“We’re busy with that. We’ve done 20 this month,” Rondinelli said.
The clinic also provides more conventional ways to relax patients such as laughing gas.
Clear braces are also proving popular especially among adults.
Before opening, the clinic required an investment of more than $600,000 to build four dental operatories for checkups and procedures, a state-of-the-art sterilization unit that is visible to patients through a glass wall, an X-ray machine, denturist’s lab, and consultation room.
“It’s a boutique facility, smaller but very nice,” said Rondinelli. “We used calming colours and have TVs, a fireplace and iPads in the reception area.”
He and Poole followed the same educational path, attending St. Christopher high school in Sarnia, earning science degrees at Western, then attending the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry.
But they were several years apart at school and didn’t know one another until Rondinelli invited Poole to join his practice.
“I would only work with someone local because you have to be from Sarnia to understand Sarnia and small town services,” said Rondinelli.
“We like to develop relationships with patients. It’s not just about getting them in and out,” said Poole.
The Riverview clinic employs five including a hygienist and a denturist.
Rondinelli and Poole donated 150 vouchers to Corunna’s Operation Christmas Tree campaign this year. Each voucher is worth $250 in dental care and, if all are redeemed, will represent a donation of more than $35,000.
Riverview Family Dental can be reached by calling 519-813-9090.
Got an interesting business story? Contact Cathy Dobson at [email protected] or 226-932-0985.
