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“I loved my work on photoluminescence and Iridium complexes, but I wasn’t around people enough,” she explains. “It was just me and my fume hood all day, every day. I loved chemistry, but I realized I didn’t want it to be my career.”

As a student, True seized every opportunity to shadow medical professionals. Her undergraduate years were also peppered with humanitarian missions to Kenya and Honduras, where she worked with children and participated in public health projects.

“I saw a lot of need for basic oral hygiene instruction,” she says. “It made me want to work with the people who need hands-on dental care.”

True was also influenced by her family dentist, Dr. Ron McMullin (DDS’68), and his brother Keith (DDS’72), who practised together in Fredericton. “I was always fascinated by what they did. They were like superheroes to me.”

Extracurriculars make a difference

Despite her enthusiasm for the profession, True admits she didn’t love her first year of dental school. “It was tough. It was all didactic learning at that point – no clinical – and I struggled with the volume of materials and courses.”

Something else was taking its toll. True had always been highly involved in extracurricular activities at UNB, but when she started dental school, True decided that her studies were the priority. “I was scared to get involved in activities, and I now regret that.”

Back for her second year of dental school, True found that all the different things she had learned in first year came together and she began to enjoy dental school. She also made another important change, becoming involved with , the , and getting elected as the eastern representative for the Federation of Canadian Dental Student Associations (FCDSA), among other roles.

Becoming more involved helped True to pursue activities she enjoyed, both inside and outside the Faculty. She feels she benefited from the experience, too. “I got to know different people, including faculty members,” she says, “and I felt that both my personal and clinical skills got better.”

Rewarded for her contribution

Now in her final year, True recently received the Dr. Bruce N. Fergusson Memorial Award from Bruce’s sister, Lynn, at the Faculty’s Academic Awards Celebration in November. The award is given to a student who “has shown exceptional leadership, character, and personal qualities during the first three years of study.”

The endowed award fund was recently boosted with a generous donation from the Fred and Edith Greene Foundation, which increases the amount the recipient receives. Edith Greene is Bruce Fergusson’s aunt.

The award recognizes qualities that True values most. “I feel recognized for my hard work and for putting myself out there,” she says. “It also makes me realize that it’s important not only to do well at school, but to be involved and make relationships with your classmates, professors, and people in the community.”

True knows exactly how the money will help her: it will support her attendance at the FCDSA conference, which she is planning, in Vancouver.

“I think Bruce would be super keen to see me using the money to be involved in organized dentistry,” she says.

True is grateful to Bruce Fergusson’s family for “continuing his legacy and honouring students who do well in school, are involved, and care about dentistry.”

The next step

After graduating in May 2025 True will return to ������Ƶ and the IWK Health Centre to begin a one-year paediatric general practice residency.