Why He Was Nominated

Dr. Bullard makes use of a diverse set of experiences: his extended education at Columbia University and Harlem Hospital, his near-miss as a pro football player and maintaining normalcy at his practice during the tumultuous Occupy Oakland riots.

Philosophy

“We design an overall wellness plan. We deal with sleep apnea, high blood pressure and full-mouth reconstruction.”

Exciting New Trend

“Comprehensive care. I’m a Type A personality, and I get bored easily. So I like being able to take complex combination cases and use several different elements of dental specialties to address patients’ problems.”

Something People Don't Know

Dr. Bullard was a tight end at the University of California. His coach, Steve Mariucci, went on to coach the San Francisco 49ers. Dr. Bullard considered going pro. “I’m glad I made the choice I did,” he says. “But my dream is still to be a [football] team dentist.”

Biggest Challenge

In the fall of 2011, just days after Dr. Bullard bought his Oakland office, protests organized by Occupy Oakland broke out in front of it; the front two windows of his lobby were shattered. The incident led Dr. Bullard to band together with other local businesses to try to ease tensions with protesters. “We’re fighting for the same stuff they are,” he says. “Even though dentistry is perceived to be a white-collar industry, it is blue-collar work.”