RESIDENTS OF northern Manchester recently benefited from the services of eight dental care professionals from the United States, who arrived in the island on November 9 under the Flying Dentists programme.
Under the programme, which started 20 years ago, dentists from the United States visit the island twice per year to administer treatment to residents in and around Manchester.
Celia Barnes, Co-ordinator of the Jamaica Medical Assistance Committee, one of the organisations associated with the programme, told JIS News she was pleased with the contributions the dentists have made over the years.
"We are really thrilled," she said. "These dentists come twice a year, they take a week away from their own practices to be in Jamaica," she added.
She explained that "they bring their own equipment sometimes, and they have also sent down container loads of medical equipment for the Spaldings Hospital each year for several years."
Dr. Amy Biehl, a dentist from Wisconsin, told JIS News that the doctors performed examinations and check to determine if patients needed fillings or extractions, as well as provide cleaning. "We could do a lot more fillings if we had the time," she said. "We are doing a lot of extractions now, which means the teeth are not in such a great shape," she said.
Dr. Biehl said "a lot of these patients have been coming for many years and each year they come back. I think it is a great thing, a great service for the rural areas and the community."
Dental assistant, Meagan Harrison, said the treatments patients have received in the past have allowed them to be more conscious of their own dental problems.
"You can definitely tell that the people know dental terms, they know what is good and what is bad. They come in here and pretty much tell us what we have to do," Miss Harrison said.
Jody-Ann Williams, a student at Holmwood Technical High School, said she came in to have some fillings done. "I feel fine now," she said, adding that "this is the first time I have been treated by the Flying Dentists."
Neville James, president of the Jamaica Medical Assistance Committee, said his group was pleased with the programme, and gratified by some of the long-term results of the partnership.
"Very early in the game they (the Flying Dentists) were worried about the level of dental decay they found in the area, so they started a programme to treat youngsters with fluoride to cut down on the incidences of dental caries," Mr. James said.
"It has produced fantastic results," he said. "They have done surveys in later years and they have found a dramatic decrease in the persons who have had dental problems."
Lloyd Swaby, president of the Christiana Chapter of the Rotary Club, which is also involved with the programme, said the Club's role was that of facilitator.
"We move them to and from the various working stations, we host them in our homes and we provide them with meals and entertainment, and they have become good friends of ours," Mr. Swaby said.
An interesting development in the programme involves an orphan, Joy Williams, who resided at the New Vision Children's Home. After being treated for several years by the Flying Dentists, Joy started assisting them, and expressed an interest in dentistry. She later went to the Dental Auxiliary School in Kingston and received some training. She is currently in the United States studying to become a dentist.
During each trip to the island, the dentists see between 200 and 250 patients. This year, they worked out of four locations - the New Vision Children's Home in Spaldings, and the communities of Chantilly, Baron Hall and Devon. In previous years they worked in the Craig Head, Robins Hall and Sommerset communities.
