Michelle Green is training to be Tristan's dental nurse at the School of Dentistry, University of Dundee.

Michelle Green's 2016 Dental Training in Scotland

Meet the nurse who travelled 6495 miles to study at the School of Dentistry

Michelle Green has come all the way from Tristan da Cunha to improve her skills

The arrival of Tristan islander Michelle Green has been prominent in the Scottish media and we are so grateful to Tristan Association member Bob Carse for sending us the local newspaper coverage. The headlines we copy above are from Dundee University's own website in an article published on 10th November from which we reproduce the fine photograph below of Michelle at her studies. This page will follow Michelle's studies and celebrate the strong Tristan-Dundee dental link.

The Dundee University article continues:

The University of Dundee has welcomed one of its newest students, Michelle Green, a resident of the remote island Tristan Da Cunha. Michelle will eventually be Tristan’s on-site dental nurse and has come to the University to improve her skills.

She said, “I was really nervous and scared about making the trip to Dundee, it’s a lot bigger than what I’m used to.

“I’m here to learn everything I can about dental work, from children to dentures. Hopefully I’ll be able to match up to the Hygienist back home, though she’s got 30 something years on me.”

Tristan is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, between Africa and South America and is a group of five islands with a population of 267.  There is no airport and no sheltered anchorage. The nearest port is over 1,700 miles away. Despite this, Michelle has travelled over 6000 miles to study at the prestigious Dundee Dental School.

Tristan Da Cunha has strong links with the University of Dundee already, with School of Dentistry graduates and accompanying dental nurses and technicians providing dental care for the islanders since 1995. Their current dentist, Penelope Grainger, who has been making the annual trip to Tristan for the last 5 years, also graduated from Dundee.

Professor Pete Mossey from the Dental School has provided orthodontic advice to the islanders over the years, and helped to facilitate Michelle’s trip. He said, “It is such a delight to have Michelle here in Dundee. She has a fantastic attitude towards this opportunity and is making the most of it, both professionally and personally.

“Dundee has had a tremendous influence on dental service provision on Tristan Da Cunha over the years and there are many people in Dundee who have now been to the island.”