Working where others holiday

You don’t usually expect a trip to the dentist to take your breath away. Dr Renato Kunz’s dental practice, however, lies at the heart of Gstaad, a region with panoramic Alpine views.

A mere glimpse of the historical Haus Lauberhorn, set against a sublime mountain landscape, is enough to put his patients in a holiday mood. The scene may be idyllic, but here dentistry is the only thing on Dr Renato Kunz’s mind.

He grew up in neighbouring Simmental, so he has known many of his patients from an early age. Although this rural practice, which employs three dentists, two dental hygienists and four dental assistants, does treat tourists and those with holiday homes in the area, it mainly welcomes residents of Schönried and its neighbouring communities. He believes his training at the University of Bern’s Clinic for Restorative Dentistry, Endodontology and Paediatric Dentistry led him to choose restorative dentistry as one of his specialisations.

“I always try to restore the damaged tooth with the help of state-of-the-art technology, notably an operating microscope,” explains Dr Kunz. He also uses CAD/CAM technology as part of the treatment. What’s more, since taking over the practice in 2014, Dr Kunz’s affinity for technology and willingness to try new treatment methods gave him the impetus to modernise and expand almost every area of the practice. “I want to offer my patients the most up-to-date treatments available,” he adds.

In line with this approach, he fitted his three treatment rooms with units from XO CARE. “I was looking for an ergonomic whip-arm system and saw the units in action in my colleague’s practice. I was immediately impressed by the treatment concept: it allows me to concentrate fully on the surgical site, which takes the stress out of the treatment process,” explains a delighted Dr Kunz.

However, it wasn’t just the unit’s impressive features that won him over, but its aesthetic. “It has a purist design, which gives the unit an industrial charm – I think it’s great,” he says.

Dr Kunz can also see how a clean design with added comfort benefits his overall practice set-up. “A visit to the dentist always causes some anxiety. We can counter this by offering patients a warm welcome,” he explains. This allows him to skilfully combine the Alpine architecture of Haus Lauberhorn with the modern equipment used in his practice.

While image and design are important, above all else Dr Kunz is committed to working fairly and honestly and to delivering appropriate, expert treatment. He is convinced that “Today, communication is a dentist’s greatest skill”.