Exclusive: Britt Baker Has Heard Your Isaac Yankem Jokes, Remembers Shayna Baszler & Joey Janela Cracking Teeth

Britt Baker has emerged as a star of the independent wrestling scene, and is all over your television sets and computer screens, all while maintaining another full-time job. 

In addition to appearing on WWE, NXT, Ring of Honor television and wrestling at All In, Baker works as a dentist after completing dental school while making her name in the wrestling business.. Since doing so, she’s incorporated her two careers, and often goes by Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D on the independent circuit. Baker isn’t the first dentist in wrestling (although she may be one of the first real ones), and let us know that if you have an Isaac Yankem D.D.S joke, she’s probably heard it. With her schedule easing up after dental school, she has a bit more time to compete in the ring. 

“I would say every single show, at least once (I hear about Isaac Yankem),” Baker laughed. “It’s a lot easier now that I’m working as a dentist instead of going to school to be a dentist. You don’t have a life as it is when you’re in dental school. When I started dental school I was just training to be a professional wrestler. There’s no homework when I get home from work, work is work and wrestling is wrestling. That’s a relief. As much as I’d like to relax on the weekends, you have to get out on the road. I love what I’m doing, it doesn’t seem like a time management thing when you love what you’re doing.”

While Fridays can be a big booking day for independent pro wrestlers, Baker told us that she often works as a dentist Friday, but has an understanding boss, who has accommodated her well when she’s needed. With a blossoming career in two fields, we asked Baker if her dream job was in wrestling, or in the dental world. 

“That’s such a hard question. I think anyone who wrestles, their dream is to make a substantial living out of wrestling. With dentistry, it’s something I love, and that’s my forever job. When all is said and done and my body is done in wrestling, that’s my forever dream job, where wrestling is my dream job now when I’m young and healthy and I can do it. I love both of my jobs. Right now, I’d love for wrestling to take off now more than it already has. If it doesn’t, I’m happy working both jobs,” said Baker. 

Being in a physical line of work like pro wrestling leads to accidents. Being involved in one where people get hit in the face can sometimes lead to Baker D.M.D having to take a glance at some of her fellow wrestlers — including one who would go on to become a familiar foe.

“One, ironically was Shayna Baszler at a SHIMMER show,” Baker remembered. “She cracked her tooth in half. She cracked her tooth in half and we had to get her to a dentist office to get an emergency root canal done. Another was Joey Janela. He cracked his tooth in half on a guard rail. His wasn’t as bad. I’m pretty sure he didn’t need a root canal,” said Baker. “I don’t carry a dentist office with state of the art equipment with me, so it’s like ‘there’s not a lot I can do here, but let’s take a look!'”

You can see our full interview with Britt Baker above, and see dozens more on our Shoot Interview section! Follow Britt on Twitter at @RealBrittBaker.