“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”
― Mother Teresa
― Mother Teresa
Great Shape! Inc. recognizes the power of a smile. It can make a profound difference in a person’s life and in the lives of those around them. That’s why in 2003 the 1000 Smiles project set out on a mission to help people in Jamaica find confidence in their smile by providing oral health care and education to those in need. After tremendous growth and achievement, 1000 Smiles is now approaching its 10 year anniversary!
Take a look at what we’ve been up to over the years…
In 2003 we set a goal to serve 1,000 Jamaicans with free dental care and education. For our first year, this seemed to be an ambitious goal. But with the help of volunteers and partnerships, we tripled our goal by serving just over 3,000 Jamaicans!
With a strong start and with evidence of the impact we can truly make in Jamaica, we were inspired to move forward with the 1000 Smiles project.
Since the start, some notable milestones include…
-Having our first expansion from serving in just Negril to the Ocho Rios area in 2005.
-Extending our project from 2 to 4 weeks in 2005.
-Extending our project from 2 to 4 weeks in 2005.
-Expanding service to the Montego Bay area in 2008.
-Extending our project from 4 to 6 weeks in 2008.
-Launching the Sealant Project in 2010.
We are also proud to say we have formed amazing partnerships with the Sandals Foundation, The Jamaican Ministry of Health, and over 5 major dental schools over the 10 years.
-Extending our project from 4 to 6 weeks in 2008.
-Launching the Sealant Project in 2010.
We are also proud to say we have formed amazing partnerships with the Sandals Foundation, The Jamaican Ministry of Health, and over 5 major dental schools over the 10 years.
Looking at the big picture, it has been an incredible 10 years of service. There have been about 1,600 volunteers that have participated with the 1000 Smiles dental project. These volunteers have served in over 90 different communities and more than 220 schools. Nearly 102,000 Jamaicans have received dental care services and oral health education in these 10 years. 1000 Smiles has performed around 27,500 extractions, 10,000 cleanings, 18,500 fillings, and 12,500 sealants.
Wow!
It has been a fantastic and successful 10 years serving our friends in Jamaica! Thank you to all of our volunteers for making the goals of 1000 Smiles a reality over the years. There will be a 10-year reunion in the summer of 2013, be on the lookout for more information during the year.
Want to come to the party but haven’t volunteered yet? There’s still time! Sign up for one of three Great Shape! projects during 2012 at gsjamaica.org and join the fun!