Dr. Glenda Payas

Dr. Glenda Payas was volunteering on a dental mission in Nigeria in 2006 when she suffered a frightening and life-changing accident. She was in an elevator when the building’s generator shut off, sending the car crashing several floors to the ground. She broke both of her knees and was hospitalized in a Nigerian hospital before returning to the U.S. to undergo surgery and try to rebuild her life.

She was out of her solo dental practice for four months. Despite such a tragedy, Dr. Payas doesn’t regret any of her dozen trips to third world countries to help those in need.

“I enjoy giving back to people that do not have the abundance in life that we do,” she said.

That spirit of volunteerism extends to the field of dental education. She earned her DMD from Oral Roberts University and serves on the school’s board of trustees. She later became a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, which very few women have achieved. She currently serves as vice president of the Academy of Laser Dentistry.

She is one of the first to use lasers to treat gum disease and other dental problems and likes to be on the forefront of applying new technologies.
“It (technology) just intrigues me. I enjoy being on the cutting edge of advanced technology and doing it with excellence,” said Glenda who is a Clinical Instructor for the KOIS Center in Seattle and teaches classes on using lasers.

Though excited about using technology to enhance patients’ lives, the best part of her career as a dentist is the freedom it has given her.

“I love the challenge that comes from being an independent woman business owner and all the opportunities that it brings,” she said.