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Project Healthy Smiles puts big grin on faces of Clarendon students

Published:Monday | February 21, 2022 | 12:05 AMCecelia Campbell-Livingston/Gleaner Writer
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Six-year-old Dakarai Pennant (centre), a grade-one student, and 10-year-old Amos Pennant, a grade-five student, both of May Pen Primary School, pose with their mother, Yolanda Pennant, after receiving goodie bags following their free dental cleaning and fl
Contributed
Six-year-old Dakarai Pennant (centre), a grade-one student, and 10-year-old Amos Pennant, a grade-five student, both of May Pen Primary School, pose with their mother, Yolanda Pennant, after receiving goodie bags following their free dental cleaning and fluoride treatments.
Joseph Stewart, 10-year-old May Pen Primary School student, gets a dental treatment from Dr Dominique Reid.
Contributed
Joseph Stewart, 10-year-old May Pen Primary School student, gets a dental treatment from Dr Dominique Reid.
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It was all smiles from students who turned out at the May Pen Primary School in Clarendon to attend phase two of the Project Healthy Smiles Jamaica, organised by Miss Jamaica Festival Queen 2021 Dr Dominique Reid.

Reid, who launched the national project during her campaign for the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen title, provided free oral healthcare to children who otherwise could not afford it.

In the second phase national tour which officially kicked off at the school recently, Reid is targeting 590 students across Jamaica in the coming weeks, covering all three counties – Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey.

Two Sundays ago, Reid and her team of dental students were able to give free preventative dental care, which included dental examinations, cleanings and fluoride treatments to 87 students.

HIGH LEVEL OF DENTAL ANXIETY

She said there’s a high level of dental anxiety and dental health that is not emphasised in Jamaica, although it is a very important part of one’s overall health.

“It is important to me to educate children about oral health and provide dental care to those who really need it. The success of the project was tremendous, because for a lot of the children, it was their first time being seen or treated by a dentist, although some of them were in their final year of primary school. The truth is, this is the sad reality in Jamaica,” she shared in an interview with The Gleaner.

Pointing out that the access to dental care is limited for many children, Reid said she was happy to be able to provide that care for them.

She added that her ultimate wish is to increase awareness in the target population, educating children about the importance of dental health, and to give children a positive experience so they are not fearful of dental treatment.

“The wish for the project is to provide dental care for 590 children in the island, and to save smiles for a brighter Jamaica,” she noted.

Reid said the best part of the day was seeing kids who were very fearful, eventually becoming relaxed, opening their mouths wide and allowing her team to treat them, then leaving with lots of smiles.

Phase one of the Project Healthy Smiles Jamaica was completed in December 2021, and saw the festival queen giving interactive talks on the importance of oral healthcare and hygiene, called ‘Tooth Tour Sessions’, to hundreds of students across the island via Zoom.

cecelia.livingston@gleanerjm.com