Jamaican Dentist Dr. Shemar Rhoden Reflects on Journey from Studio One Boulevard to Brooklyn Hospital

Jamaican dentist Dr. Shemar Rhoden, now a resident doctor at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, says his path into health care was shaped by a childhood marked by hardship, illness and limited access to dental services in his community.

Rhoden said he grew up off Studio One Boulevard, specifically on Heathrow Road, in an area he described as affected by poverty and violence. Though he first imagined becoming a pilot, frequent time in hospital as a sick child helped pull his interest toward medicine. Dentistry became clearer to him after observing that many people around him in Jamaica could not readily get dental care, even while his own family was able to visit a dentist occasionally.

After migrating to the United States, Rhoden said the idea remained with him, though he initially doubted it was possible because he had not seen many dentists with a background like his. While studying at Brandeis University, he connected with other pre-medical and pre-dental students, joined campus networks, visited professional schools and shadowed dentists, experiences that helped him picture himself in the field.

Rhoden said dentistry appeals to him because it blends science, creativity, artistry and patient relationships. He also wants to help reduce fear around dental visits by creating a more welcoming experience and using modern approaches to pain management.

He said the route through higher education required major sacrifice, including lost social time, missed family moments and the strain of constant study. The reward, he said, is being able to reconnect with loved ones while representing his family and community with pride.

As a general dentist, Rhoden said he has worked across areas including extractions, surgery and dentures. He described one difficult case involving a patient who had lived without teeth for years and needed months of encouragement before accepting dentures, saying patient motivation can be as challenging as the technical work.

On veneers, Rhoden said they are one cosmetic option for people seeking a brighter or straighter smile, but patients should consider all choices, including orthodontic care, before committing. He also urged dentists to approach such treatments ethically rather than promoting them only because they are profitable.

Rhoden encouraged young Jamaicans pursuing medicine or dentistry to stay focused regardless of where they begin. He said his own childhood struggles, including being labelled slow because illness kept him away from school, did not prevent him from reaching his goal.