Dr. Baylee Teafatiller began her career in dentistry in 2019 as a dental assistant in this very office before leaving College Station to pursue her Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree in San Antonio. It is that experience as an assistant, along with her passion for excellent care and education that makes her such a wonderful dentist to see! She loves dentistry because it gives her the opportunity to help people overcome a very real, and often deeply rooted, fear.
She understands that walking through the door can be the hardest part for so many patients, and she sees it as her responsibility and privilege to meet them where they are with compassion, patience and understanding. She chooses to invest her energy into building trust with patients and then invests her time into continuing education to continue providing the most up to date care that she can. Her goal will always be that patient's feel safe and secure in her chair.
Get to know Dr. Teafatiller, including her journey, her training, and what drives her passion for dentistry, by reading below.
Dr. Teafatiller decided to become a dentist after her very first shadowing experience, which to this day, is a moment that she recalls completely changed the direction of her life. She shadowed physicians, physical therapists, nurses, and even veterinarians, but it wasn’t until she spent time with a dentist that something finally clicked into place.
On the first day of shadowing her dentist, she expected to see routine cleanings, which she did, but she wasn’t expecting to see the bond that her dentist was able to form with the patients. There was a level of trust, comfort, and familiarity in that room that she hadn’t seen with any other specialty she shadowed. The dentist knew each patient’s story beyond their dental chart, including their fears, goals, families, and even pets!
This shadowing experience gave Dr. Teafatiller the clarity she needed to move forward with applying to dental school, because she knew that dentistry would allow her to be both a clinician and a caretaker. She wanted to be able to use her hands to relieve pain and anxiety, build confidence, and create art, all while forming lasting relationships. It’s for all of these reasons that she wakes up every morning loving the career that she so diligently pursued.
Dr. Teafatiller attended Texas A&M University for her undergraduate studies and The University of Texas Health Science Center – San Antonio for her dental degree. After completing her dental degree, she completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency program at the Olin E. Teague VA Hospital in Temple, Texas with a focus on surgical treatments. Before going to dental school, she assisted and shadowed at Wright Naeger Dentistry for one year, so being able to come back on as an Associate General Dentist is like coming back home, creating a truly full-circle moment for her.
Dr. Teafatiller has also earned and completed numerous awards, trainings, and accolades, including:
Dr. Teafatiller is also dedicated to remaining up-to-date with the latest advancements in her field by staying an active member of the:
Dr. Teafatiller was raised in Llano, Texas, but moved to Luling, Texas her junior year of high school where she graduated. Now, she’s happy to live in College Station with her high school sweetheart and their two dogs, Chloe and Millie. In fact, her and her husband’s parents both worked in Luling at the school district as administrators, which is how they met!
Whenever Dr. Teafatiller isn’t at the office, you can find her reading, traveling, and going on family walks with her husband and their two dogs. An interesting fact about her is that she had FIVE wisdom teeth!
