The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 1,000 Bahamians, including children, seniors, and prison inmates, will receive free dental care in New Providence and Exuma over the next two weeks. 

The Sandals Foundation, in collaboration with Bahamasair, is supporting the non-profit organisation Great Shape! Inc to launch its free dental services. The organisation’s 1000 Smiles Project, which started on Monday, will run until January 31. Over 160 volunteer dentists from around the world have joined the initiative to provide dental care.

Volunteers, including dentists and hygienists, will offer free fillings, extractions, cleanings, X-rays, dental sealants for children to prevent cavities and oral health education. Root canals, dentures, and other extended treatments may also be available.

During a press conference yesterday, Delino Moss, hotel manager of Sandals, highlighted the foundation’s long-standing commitment to bringing life-changing initiatives to The Bahamas. Mr Moss explained that the free dental clinic began on Monday, serving members at Sandals, The Bahamas Department of Corrections, and Sadie Curtis Primary School. Pat’s Senior Citizen Home and Anatol Rodgers High School will also receive dental care in the coming days.

Additionally, some volunteer dentists are travelling today to Exuma Medical Center to provide services on the island.

Wilfred Mullings, sales executive at Bahamasair, announced that the national carrier is providing complimentary round-trip flights for the volunteers offering free dental care to residents.

This is the first time that Great Shape! Inc’s 1000 Smiles Project is being held in The Bahamas. The project has previously benefited communities in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Grenada, and Turks & Caicos.

Joseph Wright, an executive with Great Shape! Inc, emphasised the importance of making dental care accessible. 

“If we can save a young teenager’s front tooth from losing it, we can change the trajectory of that child, especially in a tourism-oriented economy,” Mr Wright said. “So, when we save the smile, we don’t just save the tooth. We save a life.”

He added that the services also provide relief to those struggling with toothaches.

He praised Bahamasair for providing free transportation for the volunteers, noting that no other airline had done this for them in the last 22 years of operation. 

“Our goal for The Bahamas project here will be roughly 1,500 clinical patients,” he said. He added that if they could arrange logistics for oral health education in schools during the two weeks, they hoped to reach 2,000 to 3,000 children with educational materials such as toothbrushes and toothpaste.

“If all goes well, maybe 3,000 to 4,000 people will be impacted,” he said.

Representatives from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education also praised the initiative.