A Technician Goes to Dental School: the Exciting, Terrifying and Rewarding Experience of Working With Patients

Now in his third year at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry, technician-turned-dental student Eric Nunnally has entered the clinic phase of his education—and he's loving it.

It's time to do some dentistry! Real dentistry. No more cutting textbook preps on plastic teeth mounted in fake heads. No more sitting in lecture halls 30-plus hours a week. National Boards Part I, passed. I'm a junior now, and finally treating patients in clinic. I have waited years for this moment, and now it's time to step up to the plate.

For the next two years, our major focus is to become proficient in treatment planning and clinical patient care. I've been seeing patients for a couple of months now and my initial experience has been exciting, terrifying and rewarding all at the same time. Each week I see a total of 10 patients. Five are rotations through the specialty programs to get hands-on experience in oral...