From molar to Polar: Cat sets her sights on Antarctica

Dentist Cat McAvoy, aka @molarexplorercat, is planning a solo, unsupported expedition to the South Pole in 2023/4. Kate Quinlan was intrigued to find out more about her background and ambitious plans.

Cat wrote to BDJ Team:

'I am a dentist working in Cornwall but I'm currently in the early stages of planning a solo, unsupported expedition to the South Pole. If all goes to plan, I am aiming for a 2023/4 expedition, but have a lot of training, fundraising and organisation to do before then. I recently returned from a training trip in Finse, Norway, where all the Polar greats train prior to an Antarctic expedition.

My spare time has always been filled with travelling and volunteering, both in the UK and abroad. I have recently become a member of staff at World Extreme Medicine, helping to deliver workshops training medics, paramedics and nurses in wilderness and expedition dentistry. I fill my days off and spare time volunteering at a hedgehog rehabilitation centre and walking dogs for the Cinnamon Trust, a charity which enables the elderly or those in need of hospital care to keep their pets..'

Interview

Where are you from originally?

I was born in Greater Manchester, but grew up in Eastbourne and Slough. My Mum was a music/oboe teacher and my Dad was a Methodist minister, so I was used to moving house every 5-8 years.

Why did you choose to become a dentist?

My determined and slightly competitive nature is partly to blame for me setting my sights on a career in dentistry from the age of ten.

Growing up, Sunday afternoons were often spent out on my bike with my older sister. Her racer bike was far superior to mine, with its gears and drop handles. Not to be deterred, on this particular Sunday afternoon in 1990, I had my mind set on winning (my imaginary) race down a steep hill in Eastbourne. Within moments, my sister was ahead, oblivious to my mission. I pedalled as frantically as I could, still convinced that I could build up enough speed to beat her at the end. As I got faster and faster, my control of the bike got less and less and in a split second, the handlebars swerved to the left and I was catapulted, teeth first on to the tarmac in front. My main memory of the immediate aftermath was crying out, 'my tooth!!' as I spat some remnants onto the floor. I was unaware that it could be fixed, so was convinced I wouldn't smile properly again.

It was this visit to the dentist that changed everything for me. It was the 'fancy blue light' and the transformation from broken-toothed ruffian back to a smiling ten-year-old that sparked my interest in dentistry and gave me something to aim towards.

I had occasional doubts, as my love of geography came to light. An inspiring teacher brought the lessons to life with exciting tales of volcanoes, rainforests, deserts, and glaciers. Pictures of these incredible landscapes captivated me, and I knew I had to go there. After a lot of thought as to what direction to take, it was clear that a career in dentistry was still what I wanted, but I believed that it would be possible to combine it with my love of the outdoors and adventure.

I took a year out before university to teach English in a village in Borneo then studied dentistry at Liverpool University, graduating in 2005.

Can you summarise your career history since graduation?

Finishing university, I wasn't certain of exactly where I wanted to work. I had grown up in various towns, so I didn't feel like I had a home as such. It was literally a coin toss to decide whether to move to the Lake District to be close to the mountains, or to spend my VT year in Cornwall, where my best friend lived. Cornwall won and I thought it was just going to be for a year.

I spent my VT year in Falmouth, Cornwall before becoming an associate at St Agnes Dental Practice in 2006. I loved working at this family-owned practice and stayed for over 14 years. During this time, I was fortunate to have such supportive principals, who allowed me time off to pursue voluntary projects abroad and to work and travel whilst keeping my position open.

In October 2006 I spent a couple of months in Nepal, undertaking a voluntary dental project in Pokhara. In 2007 I travelled to Kenya, working with a small team from the local hospital assessing dental treatment needs among communities in the Lewa Valley and delivering emergency dental care. In 2008, I left the UK for a year to work in a practice on the South Island of New Zealand and from there went on to travel alone throughout South America, stopping off to volunteer with dental projects in Argentina and Bolivia. In 2011 I was invited to Zimbabwe, to deliver oral health workshops to orphans and vulnerable street children at a rehabilitation shelter in Gweru, together with providing emergency dental care and educating volunteers in dental health.

Alongside my work as an associate, I began a role as an out of hours emergency dentist in 2016 and I continue this at present. 2019 saw a bit of a change, as I reduced my hours at St Agnes Dental Practice and started gaining orthodontic experience at River Practice Specialist Centre in Truro. I have since moved to working full time at River Practice, alongside specialist orthodontist Jeremy Peak in Truro and Penzance. In 2021, I started the IAS orthodontic course, working towards a PGDip in Primary Care Orthodontics.

What does a typical working week look like for you at the moment?

Monday: 'Day off' - In the morning I volunteer at a hedgehog rehabilitation centre, just outside Newquay.

Tuesday to Friday: On these days I'm working in Penzance and Truro delivering NHS orthodontics and Invisalign.

Friday evening and occasional weekends: I work as an out of hours emergency dentist at Smile Together, Truro.

Have you always been sporty and active in the outdoors?

Yes, I've always loved sport and particularly the outdoors. Growing up, I loved the freedom of riding my bike and roller skated way beyond the age that most give up!

I grew up with holidays in the UK which always involved a lot of walking… I don't remember always being as keen as I am now though!

I was sports captain at school and a ball girl for the international women's tennis championship and the Davis cup in Eastbourne. I joined the air cadets as a teenager, which provided plenty of opportunity for outdoor adventures.

Liverpool was the perfect location to access the mountains of North Wales, the Lake District and the hills of the Peaks and Dales at weekends. I joined the outdoor club and found it a great release from the stress of studying.

What sort of activities you have been involved in over the years?

Hiking, trekking and via ferrata are my main interests. I have trekked to Everest Base Camp, Macchu Picchu in Peru, Patagonia and multi day treks in New Zealand. I have taken courses in mountain navigation and rock climbing to give me the skills to feel safe in that environment.

©Patrick Tillard

I enjoy running but not competitively. I will don my trail shoes to run along the Cornish coast path for enjoyment rather than for specific training.

Plenty of my friends love to surf, and I suppose that's what many assume I would do, living in Cornwall. I'm more of a kayaker and paddleboarder, especially in the summer months when it's a great way to escape the busy tourist spots.

Last year, I also took up roller skiing to help me with my cross-country skiing technique!

Does your partner share your passions?

Lee, my husband is sporty but is more dedicated to mountain biking, running and marathons/ultra-marathons. We go climbing together but he leaves all the polar stuff to me!

Did the pandemic restrict your activities?

Yes and no. We had a trek booked for Bhutan, which ended up being postponed three times and we have now decided to delay this for some time in the future.

Living in Cornwall meant that I had access to some stunning coastline and countryside, which, because of lockdown, was now deserted. We discovered new footpaths, got out on our bikes exploring places we'd rarely been and felt blessed to be living here.

As a volunteer for the Cinnamon Trust, our exercise wasn't restricted to one hour a day, as we were able to get out and walk dogs as often as we liked.

Can you tell us about your planned expedition to the South Pole?

Thinking back, my love of geography and the hours spent leafing through my dad's catalogue of National Geographic magazines sparked my desire to see the largest desert on earth. However, it was whilst trekking in Patagonia in 2009 and visiting Punta Arenas, the final stop for expeditions destined for Antarctica, that I began to think more seriously about it.

I don't think this South Pole expedition would be happening if it wasn't for lockdown. Achieving the right work-life balance has always been a struggle but important to me. Like many, lockdown was a time for reflection and a reminder that time was precious. I knew that if I really wanted to make my dream of skiing to the South Pole a reality, I needed to take the definite and necessary steps to get there. I knew I had the drive and determination, but I set out to see if I also had the practical skills needed to survive on my own on the ice.

It was whilst browsing the internet that I began reading the stories of those who had achieved this dream, and from there I discovered a training course aimed at people like me.

Finse, Norway is the training ground for anyone planning an Antarctic expedition, so in March 2022, I joined South Pole adventurers, Louis Rudd MBE and Wendy Searle and the first 'Shackleton' Polar Expedition Training course. Once Louis and Wendy dared to suggest that I had potential to make a Polar journey, I realised that if I didn't go for it, it would be something that I would always regret. I left Norway fired up with excitement and a long list of actions to take to get myself to Antarctica!

It's not as straightforward as deciding to do the trip, getting fit and going. You must prove yourself to be capable before being allowed on to Antarctica in the first place, so I am currently in the process of building up my "Polar CV".

The expedition itself will involve me travelling 700 miles by skis, pulling all my belongings behind me in a pulk (sledge). It will take between 45 and 55 days depending on the weather, and temperatures will reach as low as -50C with wind speeds of up to 60 mph. I will have the use of a satellite phone which I will need to use each evening to update my location and feedback any issues.

It's not as straightforward as deciding to do the trip, getting fit and going. You must prove yourself to be capable before being allowed on to Antarctica in the first place, so I am currently in the process of building up my 'Polar CV'.

This will involve further training in Norway, a 28-day crossing of Greenland and a lot of work to gain sponsorship to cover the huge costs involved.

We're all aware that the current NHS contract does not allow the time for dentists to deliver prevention, so if I can help to spread the prevention message to a large audience, I plan to do this during interviews and through my nightly updates from Antarctica itself.

I am looking to make the most of being a dentist and using this platform to help highlight key prevention and oral health messages. We're all aware that the current NHS contract does not allow the time for dentists to deliver prevention, so if I can help to spread the prevention message to a large audience, I plan to do this during interviews and through my nightly updates from Antarctica itself.

There are very definite risks involved in this journey. The greatest worry is any form of cold injury, such as frostbite. Obviously, I am going to be particularly careful when it comes to looking after my hands! Hypothermia and 'Polar thigh' are other, serious medical risks, so time each evening will be taken to check for the start of any issues and to treat them before continuing.

Being alone, I will also have to be extra vigilant in looking out for and avoiding crevasses, as it is unlikely that I will be able to rescue myself if I was to fall.

The biggest unknown for me is the mental side of things. Although I like to train alone, I am otherwise a very sociable person, so it will be interesting to see how I cope with all this time with only my own thoughts.

Have many others completed the same solo trip? Will you break any records?

To date, there have been eight women who have completed the solo and unsupported ski expedition to the South Pole. Depending on who goes out this year, there is the potential to be among the first ten females to achieve such a feat, and certainly the first dentist on a solo expedition.

What does the training involve?

It's all about endurance and building up strength and stamina. I'm currently working with a coach who specialises in training people for endurance events. He also trained the last two females to reach the South Pole solo and unsupported, so he comes highly recommended!

Tyre-hauling is a particular favourite of mine, and certainly sparks a few conversations with passers-by! I spend so much time with this tyre that it's been given the name 'Shakey' as a nod to the great Antarctic leader, Shackleton (although his ever-supportive wife, Emily, deserves a similar amount of respect but that's another story!). I combine this with weights and running to mix it up a bit.

Will you be taking a lot of time off work?

It is inevitable that preparing for such a trip means investing a lot of time in to training and the final expedition. This has yet to be fully discussed!

How do your family feel about your plans?

I can't say I'm 100% sure. There's probably a bit of disbelief and eye-rolling going on behind my back, but I'm sure that as it gets closer, they will become more involved, and I know I will have their full support.

Can you tell us about your involvement in expedition dentistry?

During lockdown I was approached by the founder of World Extreme Medicine (WEM), Mark Hannaford. WEM provide expedition, wilderness and remote medicine training courses for medical professionals and he asked if I would help with the delivery of the expedition dentistry part of the course.

I was introduced to dentist, Burjor Langdana, who is the lead and 'guru' of expedition dentistry and discovered that we had lots in common. I have recently returned from helping him deliver workshops to medical professionals who plan to either become 'expedition medics', or carry out humanitarian work abroad. It has really added some fun and variety to my work life.

Dental emergencies, whether that be an abscess, fractured tooth or a gum infection, are not uncommon on expeditions and if left untreated, these can lead to an expensive medical evacuation. Educating medical professionals in some basic skills which they can utilise in the field, can be invaluable.

Teeth undergo an immense amount of stress in the lead up and preparation as well as the expedition itself. The intense training involved provides the ideal environment for the bacteria that cause tooth decay to thrive, therefore prevention is a key part.

Physical exertion leads to a dry mouth, a result of a raised respiratory rate and often, a lack of sufficient fluid intake. This, together with an altered diet and increasing the frequency in which sugary snacks are consumed, becomes a dentist's nightmare.

The need to travel as lightly as possible and the daily stress of expedition life can lead to well-formed habits, such as tooth-brushing, being neglected and the importance of basic oral hygiene being overlooked.

The environment in which an expedition takes place can also contribute to the chance of a dental emergency. The cold temperatures of high altitude and polar environments result in snacks freezing, the hardness leading to a greater risk of fractured teeth and the 'biting' (sorry!) winds exacerbating any sensitivity.

Do you have further challenges planned beyond your South Pole expedition?

I think it is in me to always be working toward some sort of goal or ambition. My focus at present is purely on the South Pole, but I have been warned about the reality of post-expedition blues and that it is important to have something in place to work toward once this goal has been realised.

In Norway, I was nicknamed the 'molar explorer', so I feel that it is only right that I should adopt this and keep on exploring!

Do you have any career goals within dentistry that you'd like to share?

Currently I am really enjoying orthodontics and working in a specialist referral practice which allows me to see all the branches of dentistry and work within that team. I hope to continue with the teaching side of expedition dentistry and simply continue to have the variety in my work that I am currently able to enjoy.

When you reach the South Pole, how will you celebrate?

With nobody watching, there'll probably be some whoops and some disco moves around the Pole to celebrate! Then I plan to eat and eat and eat!

Cat's Go Fund Me Page: https://gofund.me/ae12228e.