Dr Dean was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and graduated in Medicine from Leeds University UK.  At graduation she already had an interest in both Plastic Surgery and Research.  Throughout her career she has endeavoured to develop excellence in services to patients and bring scientific research to plastic surgical practice.  She moved to Australia in 1998 with her Australian husband, and completed a PhD on a topic relating to post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. She finished Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery training in 2007.  Since becoming a specialist, she has developed a dedicated breast reconstruction clinic for women who have had breast cancer and has this as an area of research.