2021 Winning Student of Dental Medicine
Madison Powell
First Year Student, University of British Columbia (BC)
Nominated for Courage
As a daughter of a dentist and a dental hygienist, the importance of oral healthcare was ingrained into Madison Powell’s life from a very young age. She spent a lot of time helping out at the family practice and eventually decided to follow in her parent’s footsteps.
Madison completed her Bachelor of Health Sciences Honours at the University of Calgary and her first semester as a dental student at the University of British Columbia. “I have enjoyed learning in an interdisciplinary fashion about the functions of health in a biomedical and bioinformatic aspect, and through a lens looking at the impacts of socioeconomic status and how it influences health,” she explained. “Now that I am a dental student, my education is still science-focused with more of a hands-on, interpersonal focus, which I love.”
Madison is passionate about the opportunity to educate patients. “ Oral health is so important and a window into a person’s overall health. The mouth affects the entire human body, including the mind, self-confidence, and personal happiness,” she said. “I’m looking forward to working as a dentist, with a team, to collaborate and take care of people while providing the best care.”
Understanding that a career in dentistry can be challenging, uncertain, and stressful at times, Madison continuously strives to be courageous. “Courage is the vessel in which new and important innovations are achieved. It has pushed me to strive to be my best self and has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to,” she said. “I will continue to hold the value of courage as I resiliently proceed through dental school and carry it with me when I graduate.”
Madison offers advice she has for other emerging clinicians, “Study hard, have good habits, make time for great friends, meet new people, and be yourself. Ensure you have good hand skills, communication skills, and people skills — this is extremely helpful in dental school and for future patient care.”
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"I will continue to hold the value of courage as I resiliently proceed through dental school and carry it with me when I graduate."