Su Min Lai

Su Min is from Melaka, Malaysia and graduated with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery at our School of Dentistry in 2020. 

About Su Min  

I graduated from Dundee Dental School in June 2020 during the pandemic and started working as a general dental practitioner under the New Dental Officer Programme (NDOP) in Malaysia since October 2020. As I am writing this, I am currently in my third and final year of NDOP and wish to continue working within the public sector and specialise in the field of Orthodontics (so I can put braces on people!). 

During my years in Dundee, I grew to love cooking and baking for people around me, and still continue to do so in Malaysia. My course mates and I often brought cakes to our tutorial sessions, organised bake sales on campus and held potlucks together on special occasions. I enjoyed doing this so much that eventually I started blogging about my food journey on Instagram (@NibblesOnMars) and was invited to promote local eateries in Dundee. 

Scotland has also taught me to explore nature on foot. It was a hobby that I regretted not to have discovered it earlier because Scotland had so much of scenic views to offer. During my dental elective in 4th year, I challenged myself by going on a 5-day trek leading to Machu Picchu, Peru — it was by far the most memorable trip of my life. Nowadays you could still find me hiking or trekking on far less challenging trails in Malaysia on weekends. 

Reason for becoming an alumni ambassador 

I feel I am still a part of the community at Dundee Dental School and the city itself, and I want to give back. After graduating, I have been keeping in touch with members of the dental school and friends I knew in Dundee. Even though we are away now, there is still a piece of our heart in Dundee. My time in Dundee has broadened my horizon in ways I never expected and I wish the same, if not better, to be experienced by more students in future. Being an Alumni Ambassador feels natural to me because I have already been sharing my experience as a dental student a lot since I came back, even without this title. 

If you want to get in touch with Su Min to hear about her experience or ask questions, then please email the Alumni Relations Team at alumni@dundee.ac.uk