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Lisa Hilpl 鈥�98 wants her patients to feel so at ease when they walk into her growing dental practice that some forget听they鈥檙e听even at the dentist.听听

The听check-in area is designed like a boutique hotel lobby: Friendly staff greet patients by听name,听diffused lighting softens the space, noise-dampening floors and panels create听a听calm听atmosphere, and a 200-gallon saltwater fish tank听immediately听draws the eye. When听she鈥檚听between appointments, Hilpl steps into the lobby to welcome patients and chat about their lives.听听

鈥淚 pulled a lot from my hospitality听experience,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen someone walks in, I want it to feel like home 鈥� warm and welcoming 鈥� but also a little upscale without being intimidating.鈥澨�听

Hilpl听grew up in Portland, Maine, and was drawn to hospitality at听a young age听because she enjoyed hosting, cooking, and consistently interacting with people.听She听says听the University of New听Hampshire听business school, now the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics,听was an easy choice听because of the hospitality program鈥檚听strong reputation.听

Once she arrived in Durham, Hilpl gained a firm grasp听on the听wide-ranging听nature of听hospitality. She听enjoyed听market research,听analytics, and听how听businesses听use听physical space and branding to shape the customer experience.听听

鈥淗ow you design an entrance, how you build an overall brand, how you bring branding and management into a company, and how that affects the customer experience, as well as how the staff feel when听they鈥檙e听there. It was听all听fascinating,鈥� Hilpl says. 鈥淲e looked at everything from fast-food restaurant layouts to major hotel chains and how they branded themselves within a region.鈥澨�听

During an internship at Canterbury Shaker Village, Hilpl conducted market research as the nonprofit explored converting one of its historic buildings into an inn. The work included talking with visitors, evaluating the building鈥檚听logistics, and developing recommendations.听听

鈥淲e found that an inn was not going to be as viable, but doing catering, catering services, weddings, and event management would be viable,鈥澨鼿ilpl听says. 鈥淭hat experience pushed me听down听a听road of consulting and looking at market research from a hospitality perspective and growth management strategy.鈥澨�听

After graduating,听Hilpl听joined the Convention & Visitors Bureau in Portland, where she worked with local businesses to boost tourism across Maine. Within a year, she transitioned into consulting, helping clients in hospitality听and healthcare听to develop听and analyze marketing strategies and growth opportunities. Some of her most meaningful projects involved the American Cancer Society and breast cancer support groups, where she conducted research on screening and access to care.听

During interviews and focus groups, she heard countless stories from women undergoing chemotherapy who struggled with oral health, including听tooth loss, bone deterioration, dry mouth,听and听sores that made eating, talking,听and听sleeping听difficult.听

While Hilpl enjoyed consulting, those experiences inspired her to听seek听a more hands-on career where she could help people directly.听

鈥淭his was the start of my career down the dental care path, and it was when I reached out to dental care facilities about how they managed patients undergoing cancer treatment,鈥� Hilpl says.听

She soon shadowed and later worked for a dentist in Hanover, New Hampshire 鈥� first at the front desk, then听assisting听chairside 鈥� and everything clicked.听

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 realize how much dentistry听blends听engineering and art until I was in it,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd it turns out a lot of dentists are artists 鈥� painting, drawing 鈥斕齛ll of听that carries over. I loved discovering that something from my personal life could become such a big part of my career.鈥澨�

Hilpl听returned to school to complete her science prerequisites at Colby-Sawyer College before being accepted to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 2010. At Tufts, Hilpl once again tapped into her hospitality experience to balance the demands of dental school.听听

鈥淚 was warned about the pace and rigor of dental school, and I learned a听lot听that first semester,鈥澨鼿ilpl听says. 鈥淟uckily, I was used to long hours, especially in the hotel and restaurant business.听That all prepared me.鈥澨�听

The last two years听at Tufts听were听almost entirely听clinical, with daily patient care as part of the school鈥檚 in-house practice. After graduating in 2015, she worked at practices in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.听听

Hilpl says it was always her dream to run her own business,听but she wanted to听gain experience working at other practices first. Finally, in August 2024,听she realized her听dream when she opened听 in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

The practice is the perfect blend of her two careers, according to Hilpl.听Its physical and sensory details draw from her UNH and hospitality experiences, while her clinical approach reflects her training at Tufts and in the field.听听

鈥淧atients听often听tell me it feels like home here and that they feel at ease and are not as afraid of coming to the dentist,鈥澨鼿ilpl听says.听鈥淚鈥檓听very听education-focused because听it鈥檚听their body. I explain听what鈥檚听going on and talk them through procedures, letting them know what to expect before I do anything.鈥澨�

That attention to all details听is paying off as her practice continues to听attract new patients.听听

鈥淪ome of my friends still say, 鈥業 can鈥檛 believe you went back to school for dentistry 鈥� where did that even come from?鈥� But my point听is always the same: If you want to change careers, you can carry so many of your past experiences into what you do next,鈥� Hilpl says. 鈥淭he hospitality program at UNH set me up for success in my current role. I reflect on that experience quite a bit.鈥澨�