When Jane Reilly opened the first Postal Annex in the USA in Marketplace Shopping Center in 1986, she went looking for a family dentist. Ron Rosenblatt, a Cleveland native, had already been practicing since 1972. He welcomed her to “his family,” as he referred to the staff and his patients. Reilly found the right match: good dental skills, funny sense of humor, and keen interest in the patient beyond dental needs. “Ron was always caring, sensitive, and kind,” Reilly said.
Rosenblatt has a contagious, raucous laugh and upbeat attitude. These positive characteristics were tested in April 2015 when he was diagnosed with a cancerous brain lesion, liver and lung lesions. This cancer diagnosis blindsided him. Reilly sat in on a recent interview of her favorite dentist, the father of two. Rosenblatt is proud of his two adult children: an attorney son Brett, and a director of commercials, Adam. Besides those two, he is a proud grandfather of 12. Ron has four grandchildren and his wife, E.J. McDuffey, has eight. Father’s Day will be very special for the family this year.
The patriarch chose to leave the dental office for the last time on May 5, 2015. “I worked hard to build up a practice that originally had no patients,” he said. “My partner, Dr. Andy Firtel, is doing a great job. I was fortunate to bring him into the practice 16 years ago. There has been an outpouring of support from my former patients…cards, emails, phone calls.”
Rosenblatt spent 43 happy years in U.C. and kind of grew up with the community. He served on U.C. Planning Group for two years in the early days. “U.C. was supposed to be a bedroom community for UCSD. Originally a low-density shopping center was planned. The developers ruined it. I quit UCPG. I asked myself why am I coming here?”
Ohio State is his college alma mater and Case Western Dental School awarded him his doctor of dental surgery degree. From there he had an internship in Chicago at Michael Reese Hospital. He was activated in the Navy, sent to Camp Pendleton Hospital for two years and then found University City in 1972. Most of his Midwestern mentors couldn’t wait to retire to Florida. Ron made sure he took the California dental boards early on so that he could live in beautiful San Diego all these years rather than just retire here.
His cancer diagnosis began with a slight tingly feeling in his hand. Two oncologists have worked with him. His new vocabulary includes biopsies, radiation, chemotherapy and many words beginning “neuro…” Still, he can make a joke about it.
“I’m the greatest patient because I’m in total denial,” he laughs. “My recent scan says everything is holding. I feel great now…a little shortness of breath, muscle and joint pain, and I’ve gained 30 pounds. My oncologist said that I am her favorite patient because I don’t complain about anything. ”
When Jean Rockwell, his former hygienist, reached her 20th year in the practice, Rosenblatt sent her and her husband to Paris. When his office manager Heather made the 20th anniversary, she and her husband got a trip to London. Pretty generous boss, right? Jean had to take an early retirement in 2010 because of arthritis in her hands. Unfortunately, she contracted cancer in 2013 and lasted only 10 months. Going through chemotherapy, patients are asked at each daily visit their name and their birth date. It gets kind of old for the patients.
Rosenblatt, always the funny man, had a shirt made for her with her name on the top line, her birth date on the second line, and f**k cancer on the third line.
Two or three years ago he talked about retiring in the future. He never anticipated leaving so abruptly in 2015. It was all about the people for him and his practice: the staff and the patients. He is living in Encinitas now in a manufactured home in a 55-plus community with a salt water pool. “I don’t know what came over me. I drove to the top of this park and saw this 2003 coach with solid wood floors, everything first class. I own the land. My wife and I love it.” His little grandson asked him “Papa, where’s the steering wheel?” A kidder, a chip off the old block like his grandpa, the good Dr. Rosenblatt.
“That’s my story,” he said as he pushed back on his chair to get up. “I’ve enjoyed U.C. Money never drove me. It was always about the people. As long as I can grip a golf club…,” he smiled. Reilly grinned at her favorite dentist and gave him a goodbye hug.
