Dr Heather Scott
Dentist
For Heather Scott, the dream of becoming a dentist began when she was just six years old. In a first-grade classroom in the United States, when most children chose to draw animals or flowers from the encyclopedia, Heather chose a molar tooth. It was a small moment that hinted at something bigger — the spark of a lifelong calling.
Heather’s early years were shaped by service and community. She grew up in a family with a long line of Lutheran pastors and spent much of her childhood in nursing homes where her father worked. Her grandfather, a chaplain in the U.S. Marine Corps, stormed the beaches of Iwo Jima during World War II with a Bible in one hand and a bayonet in the other. After the war, he dedicated his life to building homes with his church in the Pacific Islands, a mission he continued from the 1950s until his passing in 2006. To Heather, he was more than family — he was her best friend and spiritual mentor. His example instilled in her the belief that a meaningful life is one lived in service to others.
Heather attended university in the U.S. on pageantry scholarships, which meant her studies followed the funding rather than her original passion. Her focus was business — practical, stable, but not her dream. After marrying her husband, Jason, one conversation changed everything. When he asked what she truly wanted to be, she answered without hesitation: “a dentist.”
Jason encouraged her to join a mission trip to Jamaica with her church, where she worked alongside dentists performing MASH-style surgeries in the rainforest. That experience became a turning point. She fell in love with the work and the difference it made. Supported by Jason, she changed her major from business to Organic Chemistry and pre-med, setting her sights on dental school.
But life, as it often does, took an unexpected turn. By the time Heather completed her degree, she and Jason had two young children, a mortgage, and stable careers. Although she was accepted into several dental schools in the U.S., none were local, and relocating would have meant sacrificing Jason’s secure position as a Yardmaster at the largest railroad in the country. With a global economic downturn and young children to care for, dental school was simply not feasible at that time. Heather put her dream aside and devoted herself to family life and a successful career as a business analyst.
Then, one ordinary morning, everything changed. Jason received a phone call asking if they could put Heather’s name forward for a dental school in Australia. With her background in Organic Chemistry, the couple had grown accustomed to calls encouraging her to pursue a PhD — something she wasn’t interested in. Jason, exhausted after a long overnight shift, hung up, assuming it was another fellowship offer.
The next day, at the same time, the phone rang again. “Don’t hang up,” the caller began. It was a headhunter from Canada, encouraging Heather to apply to dental school in Australia. Jason agreed to send her details by email, and soon she was asked to write an essay about why she wanted to become a dental surgeon and to provide her academic transcripts and DAT scores.
In that essay, Heather wrote about her family’s legacy of service, her childhood in nursing homes, and her grandfather’s bravery and generosity. She explained that dentistry, for her, was never just about teeth. It was about relieving pain, restoring confidence, and giving people back their dignity and quality of life.
No one ever discovered exactly how her name ended up in the recruiter’s hands — perhaps it came from a dentist she worked with in Jamaica, or one of the dental schools she had applied to years earlier — but that call changed the course of her life. She was accepted into James Cook Universitywithout so much as a phone interview, based solely on her academic achievements and personal story.
The family flew from Missouri to Cairns to visit the campus, and together they made a leap of faith: they quit their jobs, sold everything, and moved to Australia so Heather could finally pursue the dream she had carried since childhood. Jason described the decision simply — “It’s like NASA calling to ask you to work on the space station. When your dream becomes possible, you go.” Guided by their faith and the words from Isaiah, “Here I am, send me,” they began a new chapter.
Their children completed high school in Cairns and now attend universities in Brisbane. Heather completed her final year of clinical placement in Ipswich to stay close to them.
This December, she will begin the next stage of her professional journey as a dentist at Gold City Dental in Charters Towers.
For Heather Scott, the path to dentistry was neither short nor easy. It was a story of faith, family, and perseverance — from a little girl sketching a molar in first grade to a clinician ready to serve her new community. Her journey is one of perseverance, faith, and the unwavering support of her family. Now, with that childhood dream finally realized, she looks forward to giving back to the people who will become part of her next chapter. She and Jason are looking forward to building their next chapter in the Charters Towers community, serving others through the profession she has always loved.