By Kristine Thomas
Kendall T. Pyper came to a crossroad in his life when he lost his job as the band teacher at Silverton High and Mark Twain Middle schools in 2003 due to “unrelenting budget cuts.”
“My wife and I decided that I needed a more stable career, and a more lucrative one at that, if we were to provide the lifestyle for our children that we had envisioned,” Pyper, 33, said. He has been married 12 years to his wife, Lainie. They have four children – Jasmin, 8, a third-grade student at Eugene Field; Alyse, 5, a kindergartner at Eugene Field; and twins, Kendric and Spencer, 3.
“Dentistry was a perfect fit – the combination between the health field, science and even art. Plus, I can listen to good music all day while I work.”
Pyper, who graduated from dental school in June and recently opened Silver Falls Family Dental office, said he faced many challenges when he decided to make a major career switch.
He grew up in Utah and went to high school in Salt Lake City then received his undergraduate degrees at Ricks College and Brigham Young University. He taught band from 2001 to 2003.
Our Town recently spoke with Dr. Pyper about the path he took to his new job.
What made you decide to go from teaching music to fixing teeth?
“I love music and I love teaching. That’s why I became a band teacher in the first place. I’ve also always liked science and health, but wasn’t interested in all the schooling required to become a doctor.”
What kind of sacrifices or challenges did you face making the transition? Was there ever a time you questioned what you were doing?
“Wow. We’ve all (my wife and children) sacrificed quite a bit to make this happen. You can imagine that I didn’t fulfill many dental school prerequisites while obtaining my music education degree. In January 2004, I started a crash course schedule to get my dental school pre-requisites completed by summer 2005. This required a solid year and a half of night/weekend school at Portland Community College. We lived in McMinnville at the time, so I would be at work from 7 until 4, then come home grab dinner in a bowl and head off to school by 4:30 in order to fight traffic and make it to school by 6. Classes usually ran until 9 p.m. but sometimes 10. Then I’d get home a little after 11, study, and prepare for school the next day. Then, when dental school started – the real work began! …
Our twin boys arrived 4 months into my first year. My mother-in-law, bless her heart, came and stayed with us for a couple of months, but it was still a ton of work for all of us. The stress of school gave me high blood pressure and made me (sometimes) not very fun company. Second year of school wasn’t so bad, but then third year, the stress and hours increased substantially. I think back on it now and wonder how on earth we survived it – I definitely faced several seemingly insurmountable barriers that made me think I had made a mistake and would have to quit and try something else. But, when I thought of my family and how much they had sacrificed to get me there, I knew I had to push through and make it happen. So, that’s what we did.”
What advice would you give to someone thinking about making a major career change?
“Once you’ve made the decision to do it, jump in with both feet and don’t look back. I was kind of forced to do that, but if I didn’t have the obligation, I may have wavered. Be determined, put your head down and go to work. It’ll be over before you know it and will be worth it in the end.”
What do you like most about your new profession?
“I love that my work helps people. If someone is in pain and they leave without pain, when people shake my hand and tell me they can smile again for the first time in years, if someone has a sick mouth and I can help them get it healthy – those things make me proud of my work and my profession, give me fulfillment and really make me happy.
Where did you go to dental school?
I attended dental school at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco.”
What do you enjoy doing when not working?
“I love spending time with my wife and kids. But I also like sports, basketball and football, mainly; and the outdoors, hiking, camping, skiing. I have a couple of favorite TV shows – House, Stargate SG-1, Monk. We’re very active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and attend the Silverton Ward (congregation). And I like a good video game now and then – I’m pretty good at Guitar Hero.”
Do you still have time for music?
“Very little so far. I earnestly hope to find more time for it in the future. I still have my instruments and love to perform with them whenever I get the chance but I must admit, my chops are nothing like they used to be.”
Are there any similarities between music and dentistry?
“I would say there are many similarities. Both are very precise art forms. There are obvious right and wrong ways to do it, but still plenty of room for the subtleties of ‘artistic interpretation.’ The more I learn about dentistry, the more I realize how artistic one can be in designing preparations and restorations, choosing and applying colors for fillings and designing beautiful smiles for people that had previously been embarrassed of their teeth.”
How do you divide your time between Silverton and Albany?
“For now, I’m open Monday and Tuesday in Silverton, seeing emergency patients as necessary in the evenings and weekends during the rest of the week. I work 8-5 at Albany Affordable Dental Care on Wednesday through Friday. As the practice here in Silverton grows, I’ll cut back in Albany and as soon as possible I hope to be full-time here.
How long have you been a dentist?
I graduated from dental school in June. So that makes about six months I’ve been a dentist.”
Anything else you’d like to add?
“One interesting fact, I served a mission for my church in Bahia, Brazil, for two years. I came back speaking fluent Portuguese. I’m not so fluent in Portuguese anymore, but I have picked up and learned quite good Spanish. I treated mostly Spanish-speaking patients in dental school and see at least one or two almost every day in Albany.”
