Albert, Stephen, and David Konikoff’s father, Arthur, was an architect, but “because we couldn’t draw or use our hands so well, we went into dentistry!” says Albert, the oldest of four siblings. The brothers also have a sister, Sharon Berger.
Now, after decades of devotion to dentistry and their patients’ smiles, the three brothers are smiling big themselves – creating active and meaningful lives in retirement.
Albert’s decision to retire after 47 years in practice came by chance. During the early days of the COVID pandemic, when he did not work for seven weeks, Albert told his wife, Wendy, that he could think about retiring. Not until his office manager of 30 years said she was going to retire, however, did Albert make the decision for himself. “I loved what I did. Going to the office was never work,” he says.
Albert’s son, Bryan, also a periodontist, took over the practice. “We worked together for 16 years. I told him everything I know,” says Albert, 77. His other son, Michael, is a pediatric gastroenterologist. Wendy and Albert have five grandchildren, ages 15 to 23 years old.
While Albert was in graduate school, he developed a passion for photography and has since become more and more involved in the art. “We had to document all of our cases (in dental school). It became a natural extension to document all of our travels,” he says.
Stephen, a general dentist with two offices in Norfolk, retired three years ago. “I enjoyed practicing for 47 years. I just had a sense inside that it was time for a new phase in my life.”
Still, Stephen says he misses his patients, recalling saying goodbye to one woman whom he treated from the start. Not only was she a patient, but two generations of her family were also under his care. “There was a richness to practicing dentistry. I received from my patients as much as they hopefully received from me.”
Outside of his professional career, synagogue attendance is important to Stephen, 75, as he regards himself as being Judaically-centered. Married to Ronnie Jane for 53 years, they have three children with one each living in Tidewater, Providence, R.I., and Hoboken, N.J. They also are grandparents to seven.
The youngest of the three brothers, David sold his dentistry practice seven years ago and officially retired two years ago. “You know when it’s time. I came into the office one day and it wasn’t my practice anymore. There was a new culture,” he says.
Engaged to be married to Martha Mednick Glasser, David, 72, spends three to four months in Palm Beach each winter, playing golf and taking classes in varied subjects from finance to Chinese cooking. One passion involves anything related to Judaism, “That’s what fills me up, trying to make the world a better place.”
A father of seven and grandfather of five, David speaks to his children almost daily. Two of his boys are following in his footsteps; one son is currently in dental school, while another is deciding between two schools to attend.
Travel has been a big part of retirement life for the Konikoff brothers. Albert and David went to Africa together and visited Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Stephen and Ronnie Jane travelled through Italy and took a cruise to Africa. Albert and Wendy spent time on the South Georgia and Falkland Islands, in addition to voyages to Japan, Dubai, Singapore, and Iceland. David has hiked the Alps in Switzerland, France, and Italy, as well as mountains in Norway.
In addition to speaking to each other nearly every day, the three brothers play golf together whenever possible. Stephen laughs when discussing their familial relationships – dating back to their childhood growing up in the Wexford Terrace neighborhood in Norfolk. “It hasn’t changed since we were 13, 10, and 7. We still act like we’re that age and remain as close as we were as little kids!”
While their sister, Sharon, lives in Ohio, all three brothers still live in Tidewater. Albert now lives in Norfolk, and Stephen and David have homes a few blocks apart from each other in Virginia Beach.
Albert once asked a friend when to retire. The reply he received was, ‘you’ll know when you know.’
“And he was right,” says Albert. “I have never felt like I made a bad decision. I miss the people and staff, but I did everything I wanted to do in periodontics.”
Stephen agrees, “You don’t know for sure when it’s time. You just know when you know.”
“I’m looking forward to a great life,” David adds.
Brushing up on retirement with the Konikoff brothers
