Rooting for Future Dentists

This story is featured in the NUS Giving Report 2025/2025 - Future: Powered by Giving. Click here to read more Giving Report stories. 

NUS Dentistry student Joel Lim grew up watching his brother with special needs navigate the healthcare system. Through the years of medical appointments, what stayed with him was never the visits themselves, but the people behind them. One memory has never left him: a dentist who sang to his brother during a complex procedure, just to keep him calm.

“I witnessed how much trust families place in healthcare professionals and how meaningful it is when care is delivered with patience and empathy,” Joel said. “This fuelled my drive not only to hone my clinical skills and knowledge, but also my resolve in being attentive and empathetic toward every individual I treat.”

Becoming a caring, skilled dentist takes years of rigorous academics and clinical training. For many students, financial worry is the silent burden that gets in the way. For Joel, financial support from the Chew Chong Lin Dental Bursary and the Dental Bursary has helped carry that weight.

This support is made possible by donors like Dr Keane Ng (Dentistry ’20), who began giving to the Dental Bursary just a year after graduating from NUS Dentistry, and has continued to do so every year since.

A Commitment to Giving Back

Dr Ng gives because he remembers. He did not grow up with much, and was supported by financial aid during his time at NUS.

Graduating with that gratitude in his heart, he decided to give back as soon as he could. “Coming from a humble background, I was a beneficiary of The Dental Bursary,” he explained. “Education equipped me with the ability to contribute. I believe we do not need abundance to give—only contentment and willingness.”

Having gone through the rigours of dental school himself, Dr Ng knows how much the programme demands of its students. “Patients deserve our best. Reducing financial stress removes a major distraction, enabling students to concentrate on learning, clinical competence and professional growth,” he said.

Building a Cycle of Compassion and Gratitude

Joel is a prime example of how students can thrive when given the right support. Thrice on the Dean’s List and a recipient of multiple student awards, he has been able to immerse himself in his education and seize opportunities that would have otherwise been out of reach.

An overseas exchange at the University of Glasgow broadened Joel’s perspective on dental education and patient care. In his second year, a hospice visit showed him how dentistry is as much about understanding a patient’s story and needs as it is about treating them. When Joel began seeing patients in the clinic in his third year, that lesson came to life. He said: “The best treatment plan is never a one-size-fits-all reprised from the pages of a textbook, but rather, one that is customised to the unique concerns and circumstances of each individual.”

That same compassion lies at the heart of the Dental Bursary too. At its core, it is an act of empathy—one generation of dentists looking out for the next. Both Dr Ng and Joel know what it means to be on the receiving end. 

And as Dr Ng continues to give, his hope is that the next generation of students discovers fulfilment in doing the same. “As long as I have the capacity, I will continue giving,” he affirmed. “Being both a recipient and donor has deepened my commitment to keeping this support ecosystem strong for future students. I hope today’s beneficiaries will one day experience the same joy of giving and pay it forward.”

The cycle of giving has already begun to turn, and what makes it especially meaningful to Joel is knowing that one of the donors behind the bursary has walked the same path. While Joel has not yet graduated, Dr Ng’s story is already inspiring his future steps.

“Dr Ng's willingness to pay it forward is deeply inspiring,” Joel said. “It shows me that the challenges we face today do not define our limits, and that with perseverance, it is possible to grow into a position where we can uplift others. His example motivates me to one day extend the same generosity to future students, continuing the cycle of support and compassion.”

Be part of the cycle of giving. Support the next generation of dentists through the NUS Dental Bursary.