Meet Dr. Eric Phelps

After graduation from Leigh High School in San Jose, Dr. Phelps entered Cal Poly, SLO as an architecture major and soon realized that drawing did not come naturally.  Fortunately, math and science did so he switched to engineering.  During his college years, Dr. Phelps was in orthodontic treatment to fix two impacted canines.  To keep his career options open, he chose Environmental Engineering as his new major because the curriculum included all of the prerequisites for dental school (Biology, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, etc.).  By graduating summa cum laude from the Cal Poly School of Engineering in 1997, Dr. Phelps was fortunate to be able to enter the UCLA School of Dentistry in the fall of 1997 as a UC Regent Scholar.

 With an interest in bone biology, Dr. Phelps enrolled in the Oral Biology Masters Program at UCLA.  By taking Masters courses during lunch and conducting research at night, Dr. Phelps was able to finish the Masters Program concurrently with dental school in 2001.  He completed his orthodontic residency at UCLA in 2003 and also started Phelps Orthodontics in 2003.  Phelps Orthodontics became Phelps and Cohen Orthodontics in 2005 when Dr. Phelps’ great friend and dental school classmate, Dr. Jason Cohen, joined the practice.

 Along the journey of discovering he has severe sleep apnea, Dr. Phelps added ‘Airway Education’ to his professional mission which led to the founding of Nor Cal Airway in 2018.  At Nor Cal Airway, Dr. Phelps focuses on helping patients with TMJ problems, airway obstruction, chronic pain, and sleep breathing disorders.