Outside of Dentistry Dr. Antel grew up in a musical family. “My mom was a very talented musician from a musical family,” he says. Through high school and university, Dr. Antel played guitar with the Chai Folk Ensemble Orchestra, which began in 1964 to involve Jewish teenagers and young adults in music, singing and dancing; chai is the Hebrew word for life. “I joined when I was 15 and it gave me the opportunity to play with some amazing musicians,” says Dr. Antel. He met his wife Bonnie, a singer, when she joined the ensemble. She became a music teacher who taught privately and in the public school system for many years before she retired. They have three children and six grandchildren. Their son Zack has been a professional musician for many years as well as working in the administrative area of a large architectural firm. Son Darryl is a lawyer specializing in tax law and one of Dr. Antel’s trusted advisors. Daughter Becky is a dentist. After graduation, she worked with Dr. Antel for two years before moving to Edmonton, Alberta. “Chai Folk has been a big part of our lives. Becky danced with the group, and Zack, who also met his wife in the group, eventually became the musical director,” he says. When Dr. Antel’s dental career was in full swing and his children were young, he didn’t have many chances to play music outside of the house. “But then in my late 30s, a local music shop brought together musicians who had played in their university days. They suggested a set list, and then booked a venue for a show, so that led me back into playing for an audience,” he says. For the 125th anniversary of dentistry in Manitoba, at the provincial convention’s Friday night festivities, the organizers were looking for a band that would play interstitial music between entertainment, similar to a late-night TV show. The band selected to play included Dr. Antel and other musicians who were dentists. “Since we’re dentists, we tend to have obsessive personality traits, so we ended up learning 30 songs just for the one evening,” says Dr. Antel. “But then we had a band and a repertoire, and we went looking for more shows to play.” This is how the band, Mandibular Black, was established. The group gathers regularly to practice and has now played many conventions and fundraisers. In 2019, at a fundraising event for the Manitoba Dental Foundation, Dr. Antel’s son Zack sat in on keyboards with Mandibular Black. “That turned out to be our last big show before COVID hit, and it was especially fun to have my son play with us because he is an extraordinary musician,” he says. “I couldn’t have been prouder.” Dr. Antel says the band will be on hiatus while he serves as CDA president. “I’m working full time at my practice this year as well,” he says. “But eventually, we’ll play shows again.” Dr. Antel is excited to share his decades of experience and hard-won wisdom with his colleagues from across Canada. “I’m excited to meet my fellow dentists from coast to coast to coast and bring our collective expertise together to benefit the profession we all love,” he says. Daughter Becky, also a dentist, participating in a dental screening program at the Winnipeg Children’s Festival, interacting with the teddy bear. Family photo at the 2024 CDA President Installation Dinner. (L. to r.) Shayla Solomon (Zack’s wife), Zack Antel (son), Dr. Daniel Shafran (Becky’s husband), Dr. Becky Antel (daughter), Dr. Joel Antel (CDA president), Bonnie Antel (wife), Darryl Antel (son), Avis Bay ( Jack’s wife), Dr. Jack Antel (brother). Lara Draper (Darryl’s wife) was unable to attend. 27 Issue 3 | 2024 |
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