Dr Rachel Jackson 3

We can never get those years back and there is an element of freedom as a student that can become a beautifully explorative, existential time if you surround yourself with people that see your potential and are willing to support you.

I got into the degree with a different attitude and every single day should was a massive experience not just the curriculum- it is through this mindset that I achieved a lot. My career in dentistry catapulted into dentistry because I made connections through my illustrations.

Tell me a bit more about how you merged art and dentistry?

I must admit my previous skills and experiences as a draughtsman (a person skilled in drawing) and artist lay dormant at the start of the BDS. Simply because I didn’t want to stand out. No-one else was drawing and creating to learn dentistry. I hid away in the anatomy lab, drawing what I had learnt and seen. Drawing in notebooks rather than writing words – these pages of ‘infographics’ held everything I needed. Soon my work grew larger I couldn’t hide it any longer, and I become confident in why it was useful to me as a dentist and so didn’t want to hide that either.

I started exploring the artist / dentist connection comprehensively after being asked a question by my head of school, Professor Richard Ibbetson. He said my work made him think. He asked me “What is the Difference between an artist and a dentist Rachel?”. I spent four years answering it and in finding the differences, I found the similarities too. I chose to record each connection I made through drawing and painting practice whilst researching the value of that in terms of useful skills for the dentist. The by-product became a visual journal of my experience at dental school. Made up of a collection of over 40 illustrations depicting anything from anatomical drawings that helped me memorise important landmarks, connecting with patients to see the personal side of illness that grew empathy, creating works that communicated life as a dental student to help change the public’s perception of dentistry. I drew to learn aspects of direct and indirect restoration theory, tooth morphology and to analyse the face and the smile.

To answer Professors question, I was allowed to explore it and I will always be grateful to him for that because I gained knowledge and skills that help shape who I am as a dentist today and what I might become in the future. The mark of a good leader is one who will set you the right questions, not simply provide you with the answers.

I had worked extremely hard as a dental student. Never comparing myself to others, only to myself - a standard I set. Learning any skill (drawing, painting…dentistry) requires trained practice and most importantly an ability to self-criticise; modulate your abilities from within. Skills open-up when you instil a rhythm of problem solving and problem finding. The ability to pick yourself up and go again, remain humble and open to learning. As a result, I was awarded a first for having the highest clinical proficiency across the duration of the four-year programme.

My attitude and desire for quality over quantity in drawing, painting and in my dentistry resulted in me working with many dental organisations such as the British Dental Journal in their special cover series productions, the ITI, BACD, BSSPD and the BDA. Every piece of artwork or illustration I produce begins with knowledge of the subject. Requires research on the topic, discussions with experienced professionals and planning. I learn a great deal through this process. Just as we do when working with our mentors, treatment planning and facing new clinical challenges. I have spoken at several national dental conferences and have begun formal research projects. I have written many journal features, displayed artwork across the UK, shared my work with people from across the world and developed my own business (Medink.co.uk).