#Wellheeled Ladies We Love: Dentist Jennifer Plotnick

A hot topic lately at Madewell HQ? The dentist we’re all going to. Seriously, it seems like someone on our team has an appointment with Dr. Plotnick weekly—her carefully curated office and sunny personality has us scheduling cleanings like crazy. So we knew she’d be a perfect fit for a special shoe-centric mini-series of Ladies We Love, highlighting women whose jobs have them constantly on their feet (and who do it with style). Jennifer’s story, from favorite Brooklyn spots to go-to office attire, below.

Hi, Jennifer! Tell us about yourself—what do you do, where do you live?

I’m a general and cosmetic dentist and owner of Grand Street Dental in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We’re a young and thriving dental office that operates on a different wavelength—appealing to everyone from artists to designers to families who want an authentic, warm approach. I live in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, with my husband Kent Rogowski—he’s an artist and photographer.

Let’s do a walking tour of your neighborhood. What are your favorite spots for…
Unwinding: Sitting in front of the tennis courts at Fort Greene Park
Meeting friends: The Long Island Bar on Henry Street, a revived classic
Going for a stroll: Green-Wood Cemetery—I really love the walking tours
Learning something new: BAM, always BAM
Eating something delicious: Kings County Imperial, my favorite Chinese restaurant

Have you always wanted to be a dentist? How’d you land on it as your career of choice?

I don’t think I always wanted to be a dentist. I was pretty undeclared for a while. When I was at McGill University I dabbled in art, psychology, East Asian studies, biology and medicine. My father passed away when I was 10, so being self-sufficient and not placing added financial pressure on my mom was important to me (and made art school seem impossible). When the idea of dentistry entered my world, I was elated: an area of medicine with no differential diagnoses, just solutions. I realized that I was able to incorporate all the things that made me happy into one profession. The real magic happened when I opened up my own practice. Now there’s no looking back.

You must be on your feet a ton for work. What kinds of shoes do you like to wear to stay comfy?

I always wear flats. Never heels. I find them impractical and they’re just not my style. I love leather shoes that I can take from day to night, casual to fancy.

How about the rest of the ensemble—do you have a go-to outfit for a typical workday?

I tend to wear more oversized outfits. High-waisted, wide-leg pants and one of the many indigo neck scarves that my friend Michael brings me back from India, a loose-fitting tee and my blue French work jacket that I found at my favorite vintage store, Levisons in London.

Tell us about your personal style.

Effortless with lots of effort. I would never leave the house in something I wasn’t proud of. Just like teeth, the effort you put into what you wear creates a dialogue before you even say a word. When my patients see my personal style and the corners that I don’t cut, I believe that they get an idea of the attention to detail they’ll receive from me in their dental work.

If you could spend a day in somebody else’s shoes, who would you choose and why?

I would have to say Mick Jagger in 1972. Playing in sold-out venues, wearing velour onesies, accessorized to the max—and that iconic shag haircut! I would be in heaven wagging my finger at everyone.

You heard Jennifer’s, now go ahead and shoes your story. (Get it?)