Free dental care brings brighter smile to St Ann

Scores of St Ann residents are benefiting from free dental services through the Great Shape Inc's 1000 Smiles initiative at the Ocho Rios High School.

The project has been providing dental services in Jamaica, St Lucia, Grenada, Turks and Caicos, and The Bahamas for more than 30 years.

This year, the programme has extended its stay in St Ann to a full three weeks.

The initiative, which began two weeks ago, will conclude on Friday, August 30, and has been offering services such as cleaning, filling, extractions, root canal, and sealant.

A team of 68 volunteers, including international dental hygienists, dental students from the University of Ontario, Canada, as well as support staff, are providing dental services.

President of the Board of Directors of Great Shape Inc, Dr Charles Anderegg, said the initiative will extend to Montego Bay and Negril.

"We're spending probably eight to 10 weeks in Jamaica, going around from Negril, Montego Bay, South Coast, and spending quite a few weeks here in Ocho Rios," he said.

Anderegg added that the team hopes to consistently expand the initiative in years to come.

"Right now, we only do root canals on the front teeth since we just don't have enough equipment. And then next year, we would like to be doing dentures. So, hopefully, in a few years we'll be a full-service organisation," he pointed out.

The initiative is being supported by Sandals Foundation and Sandals Resorts through providing accommodation for the dental students and periodontists who volunteer their time on a week-by-week basis.

Regional Public Relations Manager at St Ann Sandals Resort, Lyndsay Issacs, said the collaboration aims to advance efforts in educating individuals about the importance of dental hygiene.

"It's a pleasure to host the team. We feel very honoured and appreciative to do this, everybody looks forward to [the programme]... dental care is really expensive, and to be getting everything free of cost is a big deal. Everybody has a big smile at the end of the programme, regardless of what you came in with," she said.

Ocho Rios resident Maurice Gordon said he is grateful for the generosity of the volunteers after needing root canal services for some time.

"I feel very proud to be here today. I'm just waiting to get through [so] that I can walk with a beautiful smile out of here," he said.