The art of integrally caring for others with Cláudia Lourinho

Proactive, dedicated, creative and communicative, Cláudia Lourinho studied Dentistry at the Viseu Campus of the Universidade Católica and now practices her "best option", which she combines with her doctorate at the Complutense University of Madrid.

However, dentistry had not always been her dream: "When I was a little girl, I imagined being an archaeologist because I liked researching, discovering and searching," she confesses.

Her taste and curiosity remained, but in high school she realised that her purpose was people. She discovered "the love of caring for people and began to build that dream."

Today, as a dentist, "I want people to describe me as someone they can trust, someone who will not leave them helpless." As no two patients are the same, day-to-day life is, above all, "shared and with lots of smiles."

It was during her Master's Degree in Dental Medicine at Católica that she began the practice that would lead her to this career. In addition to the strong laboratory component, Cláudia highlights the symbiosis with the Biomedical Sciences degree in the early years, as well as the possibility of taking part in projects at the research centre, which "gives you a different view and opens up the horizon."

"We also spend a lot of time in the clinic, it's a very practical course and allows us to really get our hands on and explore," she says. But at Católica, the training was not only technical. Cláudia was also part of the Service-Learning Project, where she worked with vulnerable groups and people with special needs.

"It's a project I speak fondly of because it shaped me a lot as a person and as a professional." In addition to the practical experience, "often just a smile or a look undoubtedly fills our hearts."

Even today, "the groups I enjoy working with the most are the most vulnerable, be it children" or the elderly. "I feel a lot of affection when a child comes into my office or an older person ends up telling me about an experience. It's this sharing, the witnessing of a smile or a hug, that is the most rewarding part of the career."

Regarding the university journey that led her to this moment, she emphasises the close-knit atmosphere she experienced at UCP and says: "Católica will always be a second home to me." "Even today, I feel very comfortable picking up the phone and clarifying a doubt or an approach" with a professor.

It was also at Católica that he had the opportunity to take part in Pope Francis' meeting with young university students at UCP.

" I would say that I don't know who I would be if I had not studied at Católica, but I would certainly be less happy." Because it is a university that "allows us to explore our gifts, giving us the tools to explore whatever we want."

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