Growing up in the Toronto-Estonian community, Elena attended Jõekääru and Seedrioru summer camps, where she nurtured her creative side. Through kunst (art), kudumine (weaving), and nahatöö (leatherwork), she developed an appreciation for hands-on craft that would later shape her career path.
After working in cancer research, Elena realized she missed working with her hands in the tactile way she experienced through art and painting. After meeting with a friend who shared her experiences in dentistry, Elena was convinced to pursue the field herself. She applied to Western’s dental program and, after graduating, began practicing full time. Dentistry, she explains, allows her to combine her love of science and art:
“I always joke that it's kind of like a carpenter with these different types of tools, except everything's very, very miniature. You're trying to construct something that will last someone years and years, going through all the forces of life that the mouth handles…”
(Elena Voorand)
“Breaking things down, removing cavities, removing disease, and then building it back up and making it beautiful—it's very satisfying to go through that process. I always joke that it's kind of like a carpenter with these different types of tools, except everything's very, very miniature. You're trying to construct something that will last someone years and years, going through all the forces of life that the mouth handles and making it beautiful at the same time.”
No two days in the clinic are the same. While Elena follows a daily schedule of patients and procedures, treatments often evolve in real time. “Even something like a simple filling; it looks like one thing on an x-ray, and as you're removing that cavity, it looks different in 3D. I like that everything is varied. Not everything is expected. It doesn't feel routine. You just have to be ready to deal with what happens during that time,” she said.
General dentists must also be fluent across multiple areas of care, performing procedures ranging from fillings and root canals to implants, surgeries, and general gum health management.
This requires constant multitasking. “You're thinking, is my patient comfortable right now? Are their needs being met? Meanwhile, someone's on the phone trying to get a hold of you. Someone else needs a prescription. That can be tricky,” she said. “But at the same time, that’s why I got into this. I like to be ‘on’ all the time.”
For those considering a career in dentistry, Elena recommends seeking early exposure to the field. “The best way to find out if you do like doing something like this is to shadow people and ask people in your community, for example, myself. You're welcome to come and shadow to understand what happens every day. That was how I figured it out—shadowing dentists in my community at the time and then volunteering with some of the dental outreach programs,” she said.
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Quotes have been edited for clarity and length.
This article was written by Natalie Jenkins as part of the Local Journalism Initiative.
