Dr. Snyder grew up in the Pacific Northwest. After graduating from Wilson High School in Portland, he studied biology at the University of Oregon. After which, he graduated from Creighton Dental School in 1984. Dr. Snyder had the opportunity to practice on Hawaii’s Big Island in Kealakekua and Kona. His wife spent part of her childhood on the big island, making the opportunity appealing. While there, Dr. Snyder ran his first marathon, joined a paddle team, and climbed Mauna Loa. During the family’s time in Hawaii, they enjoyed the aloha spirit and the love and kindness of the island people. Dr. Snyder and his family still go visit often, using the island to reboot from their busy lives on the mainland.
After practicing in Hawaii, Dr. Snyder moved his family to the Eugene area for career opportunities for himself and his wife. Although work-life balance can prove challenging, Dr. Snyder makes sure to enjoy his family including his two daughters and two beagles, as well as attend Duck and Churchill Lancer events. He especially enjoys watching his daughter play soccer. For fun, Dr. Snyder continues to hike, run, and travel.
Dr. Snyder has now practiced dentistry for 28 years and offers this advice to new dentists, “Be diligent and patient. With hard work, challenging yourself with CE, and time refining your skills, the rewards will come.” He also stresses the importance for new dentists to network with other dentists, seeking their support and mentorship, “We as dentists seem to go out into the working world on our own ‘little islands’ and that can stunt our growth and support for each other. Dentistry is challenging and we need to help each other out.” Dr. Snyder has participated in several study clubs and is currently part of the Gordon Christensen Study Club. Study clubs help dentists collaborate and learn from one another. He is currently interested in digital scanning because it is a great way to deliver cases in a clean and efficient way.
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