Dr. Garrett Draper is owner of Draper Family Dentistry, a Diamond Certified practice. He can be reached at (925) 385-8948 or admin@dfdental.com.
Dr. Garrett Draper: Called to Serve
By Matt Solis, Editor
Many people don’t discover their professional callings until after reaching adulthood, but for Dr. Garrett Draper, inspiration struck early. “I’ve always been drawn to the medical field—I loved science class when I was a kid and I actually have a journal from when I was seven that says, ‘When I grow up, I want to be a dentist!’” he recalls. “Beyond that, my father is a dentist and my cousin is a nurse, so it felt natural. I was actually pre-med until my junior year of college, when my cousin asked why I didn’t join my dad in the family business. She said, ‘When you’re a dentist, you can be in health care but also have time for a family because you’re not on call or in the emergency room on holidays.’ The more I thought about it, the more I felt dentistry would be a good fit, so I made the change and I’m super happy that I did.”
Dr. Draper attended dental school at the University of Iowa, where he developed a lifelong passion for the many nuances of his trade. “I loved dental school because it felt like arts and crafts mixed with science,” he says. “I found that I really enjoy working with my hands and changing people’s lives by building their confidence in their smiles. It’s a great feeling to take someone who has multiple dental issues and get them to where they need to be.”
Dr. Draper graduated from dental school in 2002, but instead of immediately joining his father’s practice, he took advantage of an opportunity to expand his local presence. “When I graduated, my dad’s practice wasn’t big enough for two full-time dentists, so I would work with him three days a week and at a different office two days a week,” he explains. “Eventually, I started working in Napa and that dentist decided to sell me his practice, which is how I ended up with Napa Dental. I never had any intentions on owning two dental practices, but after my dad retired a couple of years ago, I bought him out for Draper Family Dentistry as well. So now, I get to work with two excellent, well-trained staffs.”
Dr. Draper grew up in Danville but eventually settled in nearby San Ramon, where he currently lives with his wife, Sherry, and two of their five children. He says his favorite parts of life in the East Bay are the temperate weather and the overall sense of community. “From the people to the schools to the weather, San Ramon is just a great place to raise a family. Also, it’s right between traffic zones—you have I-580 on one side and Highway 24 on the other, so we get to enjoy a nice middle ground.”
Outside of work, Dr. Draper is all about spending time with his family, although he does make room for a few personal hobbies as well. “My favorite thing to do when I’m not working is spend time with my wife—we met in college and we’ve been married for almost 30 years now,” he says. “I also love fishing, even though I don’t go very often, and I’ve been golfing with my son a lot lately. During the pandemic, golf was one of the only sports that was available to play, so he really took to it and now he’s a better golfer than I could ever dream of being!”
In terms of a personal or professional philosophy, Dr. Draper believes in the importance of leading with kindness in every interaction. “It’s important to remember that each person has a different life experience than you, with different challenges and struggles, so you should always try to be patient and kind,” he offers. “That’s how I approach things with my patients, and it makes them feel like they’re part of our family.”
When asked what his life might look like if he retired tomorrow, Dr. Draper foresees a combination of leisure and altruism. “I enjoy dentistry so I haven’t thought much about retirement, but I watched my dad retire and it took him about eight months to get used to it, so I would be ready with ways to fill my time,” he says. “I’d probably golf more and I’d definitely serve in my church more. We often have opportunities to do dental missions in other countries, so if I felt like I could still help people with my dental skills, I would do that.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: Have you ever read a book more than once?
A: I’ve read The Book of Mormon and the Bible many times.
Q: What’s your favorite kind of music?
A: I mostly listen to Christian music, although I also like some of the artists that my kids listen to, like Taylor Swift.
Q: If you could instantly master any instrument, what would you choose?
A: I would love to master the guitar or the piano. We have a lot of piano music at my church and I wish I had the ability to just get up there and play.
Q: If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future?
A: I would go to the future so I could see what’s ahead of me. I know what happened in the past and I’m happy with the way it went, so there’s nothing I’d go back and change.
Q: If you could live in the city or the country, which would you choose?
A: The country in a heartbeat. My wife is an in-between person—she doesn’t want to be in the middle of nowhere but she also doesn’t like the noise and congestion of the city. But personally, I’d love to have a house in the country with a nearby river where I can fish and listen to the sounds of nature.