Dental surgeon sinks teeth into Chevening
Dr Laura-Lee Lynch lands prestigious scholarship second time around
Published:Tuesday | August 22, 2023 | 12:07 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
Dr Laura-Lee Lynch is happy to be the first Jamaican dental surgeon awarded a Chevening Scholarship in the programme’s 40 years of existence.
Lynch, who works with the Hanover Health Services, told The Gleaner last week that she was first shortlisted for the prestigious scholarship in 2018, but did not make the final cut. Last year, she reapplied and was this year named among the 14 awardees in the 2023 cohort.
She will now pursue a Master of Science in Special Care Dentistry at the University College London in England, starting in September.
This will not be the first time Lynch is venturing overseas for training, as she obtained her Doctor of Dental Surgery at the Trinidad-based St Augustine campus of The University of the West Indies, where she studied between 2009 and 2015.
With that, she is licensed to practise in both Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.
Lynch also pursued a two-year postgraduate degree in the advanced education in general dentistry programme with New York Langone Health between 2016 and 2018.
All this was after obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology at the Northern Caribbean University in 2007.
Lynch told The Gleaner that even though she was not successful the first time around, she never gave up hope.
“I applied for a Chevening Scholarship because it would grant me the opportunity to specialise in dentistry, knowing that dentistry [studies] tend to be very expensive, and that is what normally sets us back as public sector dental surgeons in Jamaica,” the 39-year-old said.
Lynch chose to pursue a Master of Science in Special Care Dentistry because there is currently an underserved special needs population with dental care in Jamaica.
“A lot more needs to be done to raise awareness and treat that population in Jamaica,” said the Mount Alvernia High alumna, who grew up in Barrett Town, St James.
When she returns to Jamaica after her yearlong studies, she intends to work with vulnerable populations across Jamaica, working with the Ministry of Health & Wellness.
“Coming back to Jamaica with the advanced knowledge and skillset that I will have, I’ll be better able to impart this knowledge to my colleagues and to implement programmes within the different regions and parishes,” she said.
Lynch said although when she was growing up she toyed with the idea of pursuing accounting, dentistry would be her true destiny. In fact, she said it was more a case of dentistry choosing her than she choosing the profession.
“I always had a passion for the medical field. My first profession is medical technology, but then I just had a greater desire to be at the forefront serving persons. I like when I go and treat a patient and bring back that smile and that confidence to them,” she told The Gleaner.
“That is what led me more to choosing dentistry versus straight medicine … . More of creating a greater impact with patients on a one-on-one basis. ... You get that immediate effect from the patients, whenever you do a filling, you bring back that smile to the patient. It’s an immediate effect and I enjoy doing that,” she said.
Her word to other persons aspiring for a Chevening Scholarship is: “When it comes to Chevening, it presents a tremendous opportunity so persons should just continue to apply. If you don’t get through this year, apply again next year. Just be persistent.”