Since 1983, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office has brought over 60,000 exceptional professionals from around the world to study in the UK through Chevening scholarships and fellowships funded by the UK Government. In September, the University of Lancashire Postgraduate Dentistry Team was delighted and proud to welcome Chevening Scholar Dr Vidhant Nambiar to its MSc Clinical Implantology programme.

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Dr Vidhant Nambiar, from Fiji (left) with Dr Flavio Pisani, Implantology Lead

Dr Nambiar, who comes from Fiji, has been practising dentistry for seven years since completing his BDS degree in 2017. During this time, he worked primarily in government clinics as a GDP and later managed the oral surgery department in one of the major referral clinics in Fiji. In 2022 he started working for the Fiji National University as an academic.

His interest in implantology developed more recently.

Dr Nambiar commented: ‘During my years of practice, I realised the practical aspect of implantology was not being covered in Fiji. There is currently no formal training available in this area. This gap in local education and clinical practice motivated me to pursue advanced study in implantology so I can eventually contribute to developing this field back home. In my experience there have been a lot of cases that end up waiting for visiting teams from abroad, and many ultimately have to seek treatment abroad.'

The Chevening Scholarships are highly competitive and Dr Nambiar feels it was an ‘incredible honour' to be selected on his first application, motivated by his desire to develop a graduate training programme in Fiji. ‘I applied for the Chevening Scholarship because I wanted to enhance my clinical expertise and leadership skills while building international connections that could benefit oral healthcare in Fiji.'

Chevening Scholarships are highly prestigious, awarded to individuals who can demonstrate both an excellent academic background along with leadership potential. Dr Nambiar has felt an immediate benefit from his Chevening Scholarship. ‘Chevening has already opened doors to a global network of professionals and mentors. In the long term, I believe it will strengthen my ability to contribute to advancing dental education and implantology in Fiji, helping to bridge gaps in access to modern dental care.'

Dr Nambiar has high praise for the MSc Clinical Implantology programme. ‘The MSc programme has been intellectually stimulating and clinically enriching. The academic support, resources and level of clinical exposure have exceeded my expectations. I've had the chance to learn from incredible mentors at the university, like Dr Flavio Pisani, who sets a great example through his precision and passion for evidence-based practice'.

Although Dr Nambiar had never been to the UK before, he has found it ‘incredibly welcoming, diverse, and rich in culture and history… A wonderful environment for both study and personal growth'.

He has found himself answering many questions about Fiji from fellow students, friends and colleagues. ‘People are often surprised by Fiji's cultural diversity and how much we value community and hospitality. Many are also intrigued to learn that English is our official language and that our dental system, while small, is very committed to innovation and patient care. Many of my dental colleagues are often surprised to learn that there is currently no formal clinical training available in implantology in Fiji.'

Reflecting on his experience so far Dr Nambiar feels very honoured. ‘I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to represent Fiji through this programme and the Chevening community. It's been a rewarding journey of learning and exchange, and I'm excited about the potential collaborations ahead, and I would truly recommend my colleagues in the Pacific to seek dental graduate opportunities at the University of Lancashire, as it provides a lot of clinical exposure on top of a sound theoretical base, and you can expect to leave clinically competent and confident when it comes to your area of interest.'