Gary L. Turpen, D.D.S.

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. Late one night, a delivery driver pulled up to Gary L. Turpen’s dental office. The air was filled with an odd, sweet scent—nothing like toothpaste or disinfectant. Curious, he leaned in closer and heard a soft humming coming from inside. Curious, he peered through the window and saw Dr. Turpen dancing around his chair, holding a neon-green toothbrush and singing along to some old rock tune. ‘What on earth…?’ muttered the driver. Turns out, it wasn’t unusual for the good doctor to bust a move after hours—it helped him relax between patients.’

2. A neighborhood kid whistled as he rode past Gary L. Turpen’s dental office late one afternoon. ‘Hey Doc,’ he called out, ‘you ever get patients who come back for second opinions?’ Doc Turpen looked up from his drill and grinned. 'Oh, you bet I do!' he replied with a twinkle in his eye. The kid laughed and pedaled off, thinking maybe old Doc had more tricks than just filling cavities.'

3. One morning, a regular walked into Gary L. Turpen's dental office and found an unusual note on the reception desk: ‘Today is your lucky day! Free cavity checkup if you whistle “Happy Birthday” three times.’ Soon enough, a delivery driver whistled through the door, followed by a neighborhood kid who thought it was a fun game. Before long, everyone in town knew about the freebie, and Gary’s waiting room was filled with people humming birthday tunes. By lunchtime, Gary had given out so many cavity checks that he declared it ‘Turpen’s Big Whistle Day’—and everyone left smiling, even those without cavities.

4. Early in the morning, a jogger passing by Gary L. Turpen’s dental office stopped abruptly, startled by the sound of faint laughter coming from inside. Curious, the jogger peered through the window and saw an old dentist chair, its springs squeaking like an amused clown. Suddenly, a toothbrush appeared, waving cheerfully and singing ‘Happy Birthday.’ The jogger laughed so hard he tripped over his own shoelaces, and that was how Gary L. Turpen, D.D.S., earned his first fan that day.