From Guyana to Barbados

by JOHN BOYCE johnboyce@nationnews.com

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS in Georgetown, Guyana, to becoming one of the leading orthodontists in the Caribbean, Dr Vidya Armogan’s journey is as remarkable as it is inspiring.

Born in England and raised in Guyana until the age of six, Vidya witnessed firsthand the political challenges his family endured during the Forbes Burnham government. His mother, the sister of Guyana’s former President Dr Cheddi Jagan, was deeply involved in the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), organising grassroots support and advocating for the party’s mission in the Berbice region.

The family’s political affiliations made them a target for backlash. Recalling the political turbulence, Vidya shared how a Molotov cocktail was once hurled at their home’s balcony, forcing the family to leave Guyana. His father, who worked at Barclays Bank, accepted a transfer to Barbados, where the family resettled.

Adjusting to life in Barbados wasn’t easy. Vidya and his three brothers initially faced challenges in gaining entry to schools but eventually attended the Dorothy Smale School and then St Cyprian’s Boys’ School. Later, they went on to Harrison College before moving to Canada, where Vidya pursued his passion for dentistry, following in his uncle’s footsteps.

At the University of Western Ontario, Vidya excelled, earning top honours in pediatric dentistry for his “outstanding abilities in the treatment of children”. He later specialised in orthodontics, completing a Master’s in dentistry at Case Western Reserve University in the United States. Armed with expertise and “a commitment to excellence”, Vidya returned to Barbados and established his practice, Caribbean SmileMakers.

The values instilled by his family, especially those inspired by Jagan, remain at the core of Vidya’s approach to life and work. Reflecting on his uncle’s integrity, Vidya recalls how, even as president, Jagan insisted his family live without state privileges during visits to him at State House. They prepared their own meals and handled their own chores – a stark contrast, he said, to the political norms of today.

“This is what we grew up seeing, and it’s a legacy of honesty and humility that I strive to uphold,” Vidya noted.

The orthodontist attributes his family’s rise from semi-literate cane field workers and rice planters to professionals – doctors, dentists, lawyers, and nurses – to their dedication to education and strong moral values. “Within one generation, we moved from illiteracy to achieving professional success,” he said, adding: “Education is the best way out of poverty.”

As president of the Barbados Dental Association, Vidya has carried forward these principles into his profession. He emphasised the importance of ethical practices, rejecting the notion of offering unnecessary treatments. He further explained that in the business world, a person who can sell ice to the Eskimos would be hailed as amazing, however, in the medical/dental world that practice would be frowned upon with them running the possibility of having their licences revoked.

“A lot of doctors may never become rich, but they make a difference. There are always patients who can’t afford to pay, and we find ways to help them. That’s just the nature of the profession,” he told the DAILY NATION.

Vidya’s hands-on approach extends beyond his orthodontic practice. He recalls an early encounter with a patient who mistook him for a labourer while he was plastering his clinic’s walls with his father when they were first setting up the practice. It wasn’t until Vidya introduced himself as the orthodontist that the patient realised he was speaking to the very doctor who would be providing his care.

Through perseverance, hard work, and a steadfast commitment to integrity, Dr Vidya Armogan has become a respected figure in the Caribbean’s dental field, embodying the values of humility, honesty, and excellence “passed down from my family’s extraordinary legacy”.

M N

DAILY