Dental project bringing smiles to St Ann

Residents of Ocho Rios and surrounding communities in St Ann are receiving free dental services under the Great Shape! Inc. 1000 Smiles project.

The initiative involves collaboration with Sandals Foundation and the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA). The dental team, comprised of local and international dentists and volunteers, is undertaking its annual community outreach in the resort town from August 11 to 29. They are in the second week of a two-week clinic at the Ocho Rios High School and will be at the Eltham Community Centre from August 25 to 29. In addition to providing services such as cleaning, filling, extraction, and root canal treatments, the team will supply free dentures and mouthguards to members of the Ocho Rios High School football team.

Now in its 23rd year, the partnership between Sandals Foundation and international charity Great Shape! Inc. has not only provided essential dental services for thousands of needy Jamaicans, but has changed their lives by improving their employability and self-confidence.

Speaking with JIS News at Ocho Rios High School on August 13, endodontist with the Great Shape! 1000 Smiles project, Dr Maneesh Sharma, said the focus of the outreach is to help residents preserve their teeth.

"Some dental needs are being left, unfortunately, too long and so there are incidents of teeth needing extraction," he said. Sharma emphasised that the work being done has far-reaching effects on patients' lives. He noted that in just two days, the team had already completed 15 root canal treatments.

"For a lot of these people, it's life-changing because we're saving front teeth and ... they feel better about themselves. It's very good," Sharma said. Co-Director of Great Shape! Inc. 1000 Smiles, Dr Michael Krawczuk, said the project seeks to expand its reach every year. He noted that "dentistry is very expensive all over the world, not just in Jamaica", and as such, the partnership between Great Shape and Sandals is integral in reaching persons who cannot afford dental care. Krawchuk said that most patients visit the clinics for teeth cleaning but often require additional treatment. He noted that the dental team carries out a full oral assessment to determine the care patients need.

"We can identify a lot of things through the mouth, like diabetes which presents with a dry mouth, for instance," he pointed out.

"So, we kind of try and educate the patient as much as we can about their mouth. We always have a quick little look inside as well. We're looking for cancers, tumors, anything that could be suspicious," he said.

For many persons who attend the clinics, the impact of the services provided is profound. Deloris Williams-Daley, 77, who said that she arrived at the clinic at 4 a.m. on August 13, expressed gratitude for the treatment she received.

"I came here to take out a tooth, but the doctors said my teeth were too strong and nothing is wrong with them, so they gave me a cleaning. I'm very glad for you guys," she said.

Guidance counsellor at the St Ann's Bay Primary School, Shaneen Gray, who was visiting the clinic for a second consecutive year, was impressed with the professionalism and kindness of the team as well as the good service.

"To fill a tooth here in Jamaica, to do a root canal, and even extraction and cleaning is very, very expensive. We are tremendously grateful for the service," Grey said.

Another resident who was also returning for the second consecutive year, praised Great Shape and the Sandals Foundation for allowing her to smile confidently without the financial strain.

"I am here from Monday and today is Wednesday. Today is the third day and I finally, finally got my root canal done on my front tooth. The cost for it is actually over $100,000 here in Jamaica and I couldn't afford it. That is why I took the chance to come here early in the morning to get through with my root canal treatment," she said.