Eve Newlands is putting Berry Burn wind farm funding towards the £4000 cost of her work experience in the Philippines
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A DENTAL student from Forres has been awarded a community grant to gain invaluable experience helping patients in a country with poor healthcare.
Eve Newlands (22) will put 1000 she has received from the Berry Burn wind farm Community Fund towards the overall £4000 cost of her work experience in the Philippines.
She said: “I’m grateful and honoured to have been awarded funding for my upcoming university dental elective to Capiz.
“Supporting my endeavour to provide dental care to those with limited resources and access to healthcare is amazing.
“I can’t thank the team at Berry Burn enough for enabling me to participate in this invaluable experience.”
The dental student is currently in her fifth year at the University of Dundee. As part of the course, each student must complete 20 days of elective work to expand their knowledge of dental specialties and enhance their skills for their future careers. Many students choose to complete this through humanitarian work overseas, gaining hands-on experience with people that have limited access to resources.
Eve will spend 10 days observing the work of maxillofacial surgeons at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary before another 10 days working in a dental centre in Roxas City in the Philippine municipality of Panay.
She plans to return to Forres to complete her vocational training, then hopefully long-term to work.
“My elective poses a chance to bridge the knowledge gap,” she said. “I will also be bringing my knowledge and training to people who need it, with the view to returning home with new insights and heightened practices. I aim to acquire crucial skills and experiences that I can bring back to Moray.”
The Berry Burn funds will be invested in Eve’s flight expenses. She will fund the remainder of the elective fee and resource costs herself but is hoping for additional support.
She finished: “The Philippines has one of the highest rates of tooth decay in the world due to dentistry largely being under prioritised and underfunded.
“Any donations for the dental services in the Philippines themselves, alongside my funding, will be enormously appreciated.”
Please email eve.newlands@hotmail.co.uk if you can help.
