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| Scuyler “Sky” Kurlbaum |
A dentist with a calling
Scuyler “Sky” Kurlbaum was raised in Kansas City, Kansas surrounded by a family in the dental field. His grandfather ran a dental lab, his mother worked in dental sales and his aunt is a dental hygienist. He grew up valuing oral hygiene and adopted dental skills at a very young age.
“My mom would have me clean my little brothers’ and sisters’ teeth. I would polish them. It was just practice. So I knew I wanted to be a dentist for a long time.”
His childhood started on a farm in Wyandotte County near the river. After his dad accepted a job in Shawnee, Sky’s family kept their farm, but moved into the Shawnee school district. As he attended Shawnee Mission East High School, he kept in touch with his the friends he made before the move. Sky says that his connection to a lower-income area like Wyandotte County helped him better understand the differences between his two childhood homes.
“In high school, I related more to my friends from Wyandotte County. It felt more real, so I’ve always been interested in returning to a community like that.”
In his two years at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) dental clinic, he saw a diverse patient population and it reminded him that serving needier communities was important to him.
“I was looking for a job that would carry that on. As a dentist, it’s rewarding to help anyone. But it feels different when you know the person needs your help.”
Our latest addition to the Cass County Dental Clinic staff, Sky is a recent graduate from the dental school at UMKC where he took his progress seriously. He was a member of Prosthodontics Honors and had the highest level of productivity among his classmates.
“I worked really hard in school so that when I got to this moment, I would be ready. I’m prepared and quick to acclimate. I don’t want to miss a beat. If we can help more people that would make me happy.”
Sky’s adaptability and passion for dentistry is an excellent fit for Cass County Dental Clinic. His work ethic and desire to help others will allow our clinic be more effective in improving the oral hygiene of our thousands of patients.
“I want to be a part of a group that helps people. I’m excited to start working with this team, get comfortable with each other and deliver good care.”
