Adekemi Adeniyan, BDS

Bio

Adekemi Adeniyan is a visionary rural dentist on a mission to break down barriers and ensure equitable access to oral health for underserved communities in Nigeria. As the founder and executive director of the Dentalcare Foundation, she is at the forefront of promoting oral health equity through the provision of free dental education and services in areas that have long been neglected.

Her passion for empowering others and promoting oral health equality led her to become an Alumna of the prestigious Young African Leaders Initiative RLC, West Africa. Her dedication to global change also earned her the title of Associate Fellow of the esteemed Royal Commonwealth Society, United Kingdom. As a Global Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity at the Atlantic Institute and a Senior Fellow of the Aspen New Voices Fellowship, Adekemi has proven herself as a true leader in the field of healthcare equity and advocacy.

Expanding her innovative approach to healthcare education, Adekemi is also the founder and CEO of Smile Superheroes, a health edtech company that simplifies health information for children in fun and engaging ways. In 2024, she received the West African Leadership Award, further recognizing her transformative work in health communication and community empowerment.

Her creativity in health education reached new heights with "The Girl Who Found Her Smile VR," a groundbreaking virtual reality story she wrote and directed. This first-of-its-kind oral health VR experience is specifically designed for young adults to learn about oral health in an immersive and interactive format, demonstrating her commitment to innovative health communication.

Adekemi has made numerous presentations on medical leadership, women empowerment, oral health inequalities, bad oral habits and myths, promoting oral health through storybooks, and oral health promotion initiatives in Africa. These include the Public Oral Health Forum (September 2020), Maytad Health Initiatives (World Oral Health Day, March 2022), 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion (May 2022), Launch of the African Regional Summary of the WHO Global Oral Health Status Report (March 2023), and the International Association of Pediatric Dentistry 2023 Congress (June 2023). She has also published over 18 opinion pieces in notable media platforms such as BMJ Global Health, IPS, AllAfrica, Nigerian Tribune, Daily Post, Punch Nigeria, and the Daily Trust on topics related to health leadership, management, empowering women, and oral health.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions, Adekemi received the coveted Nigerian Her Network "Woman of the Year" award for healthcare in 2019. Subsequently, she was honored among the "100 most inspiring women in Nigeria" by Leading Ladies Africa in 2020. Amid the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Adekemi's efforts did not go unnoticed, as she was bestowed the COVID-19 Intervention Award at the 2021 Ekiti Future Awards. Her unwavering commitment to healthcare transformation earned her the prestigious 2022 Female Most Exceptional Changemaker in Healthcare award by the Humanitarian Awards Global.

Additionally, Adekemi was selected as a 2023 Trinity Leadership Fellow, 2024 Global South Arts and Health Envoy, and 2023 One Million Leaders Africa Best Fellow, further demonstrating her leadership and dedication.

Adekemi's impact extends beyond the clinic, as she is an accomplished author and producer. She penned the first oral health storybook in Nigeria, titled "The Girl Who Found Her Smile," (translated to Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, French and two Filipino local languages) which serves as an engaging tool to educate children about oral health. Additionally, she produced the Oral Health Animation Series "Anita Says," using the power of storytelling and art to change oral health narratives among young audiences.

An alumna of the Ternopil National Medical University in Ukraine, where she earned her Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Adekemi furthered her academic pursuits with an MSc in Medical Leadership at Lancaster University, United Kingdom under the commonwealth scholarship.

Adekemi Adeniyan's dedication to transforming lives and promoting health equity in underserved communities showcases her indomitable spirit and serves as an inspiration to aspiring healthcare professionals worldwide. With her innovative approach and unwavering commitment, Adekemi continues to make a profound difference in the lives of countless individuals, proving that every smile she empowers is a step towards a brighter, healthier future for all. Adekemi loves watching cooking videos in her spare time.