Meet Navjot
Hello and welcome!
I am Navjot Buttar, and I am thrilled you are here. Let me share a few things about myself…
Born and raised in India, it is where I started my healthcare journey. After finishing my Bachelor’s in Dental Surgery (BDS) from Sri Guru Ram Das Dental College and Research Institute (S.G.R.D), Amritsar, I practiced as a dentist for a few years. However, I realized my passion extended beyond the clinic. This led me to New York City, where I pursued a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology with a Health Communication certificate at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Currently, I am a second-year Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) student in Epidemiology at Columbia University, focusing on health communication, health literacy, and health misinformation. Along with my DrPH, I work as a staff associate with the Department of Epidemiology and manage NIH-and-CDC-funded school gun violence research.
Overall, my healthcare experience spans the fields of oral health, mental health, women’s health, disability, infectious diseases (COVID-19 pandemic), gun violence and health promotion and communication.
When not immersed in my work, I love exploring the world of art, getting lost in books, and penning down amateur poetry. I enjoy flâneusing around the vibrant streets of New York City and sipping on a warm cup of masala chai.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Let’s empower each other to stay informed and healthy!
As a dental surgeon, I saw a recurring pattern: many of the health issues I encountered could be prevented with the right information and early intervention. It was clear to me that simply treating patients wasn’t enough; people needed access to accurate, understandable health information to make informed decisions. I saw how misinformation, especially around vaccines, could lead to fear, distrust against healthcare workers and poor health outcomes.
Driven by this revelation, I made a decision that would reshape my career and my life. I pursued an education in Epidemiology and Health Communication at Columbia Mailman. I quickly realized that while epidemiology and communication are both essential, they often operate separately. My goal was to bridge this gap.
In Dialogue, Data finds its calling!
Recognizing the need to equip people with the knowledge to navigate health information and combat misinformation, I created Health Savvy You!
Health Savvy You is empowerment. It is a place where science meets storytelling, where scientific data is not just collected but communicated, and where every person can become a champion for their own health and the health of others by improving their health, science, digital and social media literacy.