Longtime Monroeville father-son dental practice surprised with retirement party

A father-son dentist duo got the surprise of a lifetime Sept. 18 for what they were expecting to be completely different events.

Richard Sepesy Jr. thought he was attending a wedding. Richard Sepesy Sr. thought he was attending a special church service.

“I was telling my wife ‘if we are heading to a service, we’d better hurry because we will be late,’” said Richard Sr., 90.

Both were instead surprised with a retirement party to celebrate the more than six decades of dental service they provided to patients in Monroeville and surrounding areas.

An estimated 200 people attended the celebration at the Monroeville Community Park West.

“This is a surprise I will never forget,” said Richard Sr.

Richard S. Sepesy DDS, LTD got its start in 1960 in Braddock. The practice moved in 1972 to Monroeville, where the father-son duo would help thousands of patients. Richard Sepesy Jr., or Rick, as he is known, said he currently sees more than 1,600 patients.

Richard Sr. retired in 2019, and Rick’s last day will be Sept. 30, when the practice will officially close.

“It is very humbling that they took their time out of their day to come say hi and thank you to me,” Rick said.

He told his patients in a letter that they lived life six months at a time when they visit.

“I’ve known people for over 40 years, me working there, and they’re just as much as friends and family as they are patients,” he said.

The feeling was mutual, as loyal patients who attended the event congratulated and offered well wishes to the two men they had gotten to know over the years.

Joanne Josefoski traveled from Tarentum for 13 years to visit the Sepesy family’s practice. She said it will be hard to find someone new after seeing them for so long.

“They’re a jewel,” she said.

Carol Mintus, a longtime family friend, said she will miss having Rick as her dentist. She saw both for more than 60 years.

“I’m glad for Rick, but I am going to miss him an awful lot,” Mintus said.

The building will not be losing a dentist, however, as a new dental practice, John R. Bush DMD, will move in.

Richard Sr. is sad to see what he created come to an end, but he is happy he was able to serve his purpose.

“If I could help my patients live a better life by doing their teeth, then I did what I wanted to do,” he said.