KDHamptons

KDHamptons: How long have you been coming to the Hamptons? Why do you love it so much?
Dr. Michael Apa: I have been coming to the Hamptons for over ten years now. Growing up in upstate New York, I find that the Hamptons are a great place to “get me back” to the country. Living in the city, you begin to really appreciate the outdoors, fresh air and space. Going out East gives you the opportunity to relax at home if you feel that’s what is needed, or the ability to go out for a great meal or party.

KDH: Please describe your perfect Hamptons day in detail…
MA: We like to wake up on the early side. Lisa and I always play tennis in the morning. It gets the workout out of the way and allows us to enjoy the day guilt-free. After tennis, we usually will go to Hampton Coffee for breakfast with the kids, (Lisa has two angels…a boy and a girl), followed by some poolside activity. Sun makes the day more special, and I like to read my iPad to check out various websites-including KDHamptons!I’d follow a full day of activities with an iced coffee at Sant Ambroeus and catch up on all of the Hamptons publications. For me, a “perfect day” always involves a little 5pm siesta –  just a quick one. Afterwards, we would have an early dinner with the kids, either in our backyard or maybe at Red Bar.  Then, Lisa and I go out to a great party with good friends and enjoy the night.  At the end of every evening, we try to go up to our roofdeck and spend some time to just connect with each other, keep the lines of communication open, and talk.

KDH: Would you like to live and work in the Hamptons year round?
MA: I don’t know if I could live out East full time because I love the action of New York, and the winters get a little hard. I grew up in that environment, and I must say I love the convenience of the city when the winter hits. To me, New York is also the capital of the world, something that no other place can boast. And with that comes all of the diversity and excitement that I don’t think I could ever leave behind.

KDH: What do you love most about your job?
MA: The thing I love most is the ability to create. When I am situated in the chair, undisturbed, during a four-hour surgery, it is probably the calmest I ever am. It really is such a pleasure to have the patient pool in my practice and to have the ability to recreate the way someone looks by creating a new smile. Most people don’t understand how much a smile controls the overall appearance of the face, but when you do – it’s a very powerful thing. Working with patients in this unique way, allows my artistic side to take over, and puts me in a very enjoyable, calm head space.
When you get really good at something, other accomplished people seek you out. I have some of my strongest friendships from patients whom I have treated. I’ve created a very diverse patient pool from all over the world. When you do something as intimate and special for someone, they want to reciprocate, which has taken me on some of the greatest adventures of my life and allowed me to experience so much more.

KDH: Who has the best smile in Hollywood?
MA: A great smile has not so much to do with the teeth, but how the person’s face lights up when they smile. It usually is someone who has a big, wide display of teeth that compliments their face rather than overpowers it. Halle Berry has a great smile; so does Jessica Alba.

KDH: Whose teeth would you like to make over most?
MA: I would have liked to have done George Clooney’s teeth. He’s a good looking guy who has started to experience some aging of his smile. He has a very tricky mouth to do and keep the look, natural. I could have done something very special with his teeth and his smile; but I am pretty sure someone did them.

KDH: What is the average cost of beautiful veneers? Why should we invest in them?
MA: The average price for veneers, depending on where you get them done, can range from $1,000 per tooth to $4,000 per tooth. To do a smile, it usually takes 10 upper teeth to be a complete look, but not always. The look from veneers depends on who is doing them, and there is a HUGE artistic component to designing and equilibrating a smile. It not only has to look good, but it also has to feel and function like the person’s own teeth. Many people could benefit by recreating their smile to enhance their overall look. I like my patients to look very natural. In my opinion, people can over do it with cosmetic procedures. The key is to really understand what each procedure will do for you and make it a concerted effort between your dentist, dermatologist and plastic surgeon. Together, we can take years off!

KDH: What are your favorite Hamptons destinations?
MA: My favorite beach is Flying Point Beach, and my favorite restaurant in the Hamptons is (hands-down), Savannah’s.

KDH: What is your perfect date night with your fiance, Lisa?
MA: The perfect night for the two of us, honestly, is just to be together. Lisa and I have fun whatever we find ourselves doing – as long as we are together. Getting some great food and cooking it up in our backyard with good music and a great bottle of wine is pretty nice for us.

KDH: Describe your Hamptons home and decorating style
MA: Our apartment is pretty modern, so we decided to keep our Hamptons house pretty beachy. We have a six-bedroom home in Water Mill, with a big pool and tennis court. The layout and easy furnishings allow us to enjoy the lifestyle, and to be active and really relax. We also have two jumpy dogs [a greyhound and a corgi] so this house is super dog-friendly. Kid-friendly too!

KDH: If you could snap your fingers and have any other career, what would it be?
MA: Well, it’s tough to say. There are things I would love to do if I didn’t have the responsibilities of real life…I could have been great on Wall Street, because it is in my nature to problem solve, understand people, and see the big picture. I believe that I could have done very well in that industry. I would have loved to have been an actor, too. I have been fascinated with movies since I can remember; I know that I would have been good as an actor. But, in all honesty, I love doing what I do, and doing dentistry at this level, allows so many options to be open to me in the future.

KDH: Do you have a personal mantra?
MA: “Cannot” is not an option.