Press release
Dundee dentist to help budding business owners cut their teeth
Published on 25 January 2021
Budding entrepreneurs at the University of Dundee can brush up on their business knowledge with help from a city dentist.
Lee Strachan
Lee Strachan was aged just 31 when he became the owner of Union Street Dental Care, eight years after graduating from the University’s School of Dentistry.
He will speak about his journey from student to business owner as the University’s Centre for Entrepreneurship hosts the first in a new series of Entrepreneurial Masterclasses. The online event, “Dentistry – How to ride the waves and roll with the punches,” will take place from 1-2pm on Wednesday 27 January.
Lee said, “My talk will chart my journey from graduate to associate and then taking over. I hope to discuss some of the challenges we have faced in getting to this point.
“My profession has been challenged by Covid-19 and I will also be addressing how we have diversified and how this has helped us throughout this pandemic. The current situation has also helped to focus my mind, and I’ll be sharing five things that I believe can help those looking to enter the world of business at this hugely uncertain time.”
Following secondary education at Madras College, St Andrews, Lee chose to pursue a career in dentistry and studied for his BDS at Dundee, graduating in 2004. After his vocational year in Kirkcaldy, Lee was invited to join the team at Union Street Dental Care in Dundee and became an associate in 2005.
He was involved in a large conversion from predominantly NHS to private dental care within the practice. Following a sabbatical, which took him to Peru and New Zealand, he returned to Dundee to buy into the partnership and eight years ago he became the sole owner.
Reflecting on his time as a student in the city, Lee added, “For me there was a temptation to move away from home for university but on visiting the different dental schools I immediately felt most at home at the University of Dundee.
“I couldn't have asked for more from my university journey, both academically and socially. Dundee was a great city to study in and I know that many of my peers that I remain in contact with have great memories of the times we shared here.”
Entrepreneurial Masterclasses offer a glimpse into the careers of successful business people. The talks are open to students, staff, and the general public and are followed by a Q&A session.