A day in their scrubs

Meet D4 Payton Keller
June 22nd, 2021

D4 Payton Keller

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska

Undergrad institution: Texas Christian University

Why Texas A&M College of Dentistry: I had friends who already went to school here, I like the location and the city the school was located in.

Dental school success strategy: Time management. It is very easy to get overwhelmed during dental school, so time management is the best way to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Favorite energy food: Tacos! Living in DFW gives you an unlimited amount of options when it comes to tacos and Tex-Mex. If I had to pick a favorite place to get tacos, I’d be torn between Torchy’s and Velvet Taco.

How you unwind after a long day in lecture, lab or clinic: Workout. It is a great way to relieve stress and take your mind off of all the things that have happened over the course of the day.

Best dental school moment so far: Besides the moment of getting into dental school, I think it would have to be the white coat ceremony. It really symbolizes taking the next step of getting into clinic and furthering your education, so I really enjoyed it.

Favorite patient care experience: I don’t know if I can choose one specifically, but I do enjoy helping people get out of pain in the emergency oral surgery clinic. I know the pain can be debilitating, so helping people get out of that pain is something that I have come to enjoy greatly.

Goal after graduation: I would like to own a dental practice as soon as possible.

What people may not know about you: I work with a podcast and consulting company called Shared Practices. The podcast helps inform its listeners on the road to practice ownership, while the consulting company helps practice owners get the most out of their practice ownership experience. It has been both rewarding and challenging, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

— Carolyn Cox