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Emily DeAtley, a junior biology major and American Sign Language minor from Mountain Home, spent the summer gaining valuable experience interning as a dental assistant and researcher in Ireland.
The future dentist interned at the Burlington Dental Clinic in Dublin, Ireland, from June 3 to July 29. She spent her time researching the survival rates of dental veneers and implants, assisting with lab work and dental assisting with a prosthodontist, a dentist who specializes in treating complex dental and facial issues.
“While I’ve worked in a dental clinic before, I’ve never assisted with patients before,” DeAtley said. “I never had that experience before this summer and I learned a lot.”
When she wasn’t working or exploring Dublin, DeAtley also visited Belfast, Galway and Kilkenny.
“I lived with a host family and it was a very immersive experience,” DeAtley said. “I jumped right into what the family eats and does. I definitely enjoyed the weather, which was between 50-60 degrees most of the time. Ireland has a very beautiful green landscape everywhere.”
At UA Little Rock, DeAtley is also a student orientation leader, a chemistry teaching assistant, a member of the Wind Ensemble Honors Program and Donaghey Scholars, and secretary of the Campus Garden Alliance. After she graduates in 2025, she plans to go to dental school, where the skills she learned over the summer will really come in handy.
“My favorite part of the summer was the experience I gained from dental assisting,” said DeAtley. “There was a moment when two of their assistants got sick and I had a lot of responsibilities. I also learned that there is not just one way to do dentistry. They do a lot of things differently in Ireland, but it was interesting to see it from a different perspective.”
