Today we sit down with Burjor Langdana, a dentist who has built an extraordinary career providing dental care in some of the world’s most remote locations. From the Antarctic to rural New Zealand, Burjor has made it his mission to serve populations who often lack access to essential dental services.
His journey highlights the importance of seizing opportunities, building diverse skills, and being a role model for aspiring dental professionals from all backgrounds.
Building a Foundation
Burjor’s path into expedition dentistry began during his dental studies in India. “As a dental student coming from India, it was really easy to get involved in outreach, whether in remote or humanitarian dentistry,” he explains. Through the Rotary Club, he participated in dental camps in far-flung corners of the country, igniting a passion for working in challenging environments.
Seeking Out Remote Postings
After graduating, Burjor actively sought out remote postings that would allow him to serve high-needs populations. His career took him to Oman, Malawi (through Voluntary Service Overseas), and a rural community in New Zealand. “I took a posting in Musandam and worked there. Then [I] came to the UK, from the UK I joined an incredible organisation called VSO… They posted me to Malawi, and [I] had an incredible time travelling through the whole country teaching maxillofacial surgery.”
Deploying to the Farthest Reaches
One of the most remarkable chapters in Burjor’s career was his time with the British Antarctic Survey. He did 3-4 deployments to some of the most remote places on Earth. “It was a lot of teamwork, which I learnt there,” he reflects. This experience reinforced the importance of collaboration and adaptability in expedition dentistry.
Passing On Knowledge
Upon returning to the UK, Burjor was eager to pass on the knowledge he had gained. He started running workshops through World Extreme Medicine, eventually joining their faculty. He helped develop a wilderness dentistry module for their Master’s programme. “I started teaching all the tips and good stuff which I learnt on how to make life easier or the job easier whilst working in austere remote settings,” he shares.
Giving Back with Team Five
Burjor’s most recent endeavour is with the Team Five Medical Foundation, a charity run by US special forces veterans. With them, he travels to extremely isolated communities who lack access to care. “It’s an American special forces vets charity which takes you to incredibly remote places where the local people cannot get access to medical or dental facilities, and the only way to get treatment is when we reach them and give them treatment.”
Breaking Down Barriers
As someone of Indian origin, Burjor knows firsthand the challenges of breaking into a field where diversity has historically been limited. He emphasises the importance of increasing visibility and being a role model. “The more you do, the better you get, and the more skills you develop. Which is nice now to share with the others,” he remarks, highlighting the value of representation and mentorship.
Lessons Learnt
Burjor’s extraordinary career has been built on saying yes to opportunities, constantly expanding his skills, and leveraging networks. His advice to aspiring expedition dentists is to seize every chance to gain experience. “The first opportunity you get, you have to say yes, because that is your best chance,” he advises. He also stresses the value of being a generalist. “Being a generalist is so important… the more you do, the better you get.”
Through his groundbreaking work and commitment to serving others, Burjor Langdana is not only changing lives but also demonstrating that dentists from diverse backgrounds can thrive in expedition dentistry. His story is one of passion, perseverance and giving back – an inspiration to us all.
→ Learn more about Burjour’s experiences by listening to the Diversity Podcast Special now.
→ Kick-start your career in expedition medicine by joining one of our courses.
→ Meet Burjor at The 2024 World Extreme Medicine Conference.