Festival Queen Launches ‘Project Healthy Smiles Jamaica’

Miss Jamaica Festival Queen 2021, Dr. Dominique Reid, has launched a project in Manchester, designed to enhance oral health care and hygiene among youngsters and, in the process, preserve their smiles.

The initiative, titled: ‘Project Healthy Smiles Jamaica’, will target approximately 590 children, aged six to 12, and is being rolled out in the parish which she represented in the national coronation.

The undertaking is in keeping with one stipulation of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC)-organised Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition, that contestants engage in activities focused on community development.

Dr. Reid, who is a dental surgeon and graduate of the University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago, says the choice of project was prompted by resonating sentiments that oral health care is not taken seriously.

“I want to help to change that narrative in Jamaica by educating persons on the importance of dental health; [about] how to brush properly [and] how to floss, starting with children,” she tells JIS News.

The 25-year-old medical professional, who works in the public health system, says 65 percent of children visiting the clinic for dental check-ups require extractions.

“Dental disease is preventable. So all of these extractions that we do on a daily basis can be avoided; but people really don’t know. So I want to change that by going into various primary schools and doing dental health talks with students,” she adds.

Dr. Reid says the healthy smiles project will be done in three phases. The first will focus on dental health talks at select primary schools in Manchester.

This will incorporate demonstrations on oral hygiene as well as the distribution of flyers on healthy dietary choices.

Phase two will target sponsorships and partnerships for the staging of free clinics to provide dental examinations, cleaning, and fluoride treatments.

Dr. Reid says this phase also includes a dental health competition for which students will be invited to submit cultural pieces about oral health.

“So, whether it is a dance, song, dub poem, anything creative that they can think about… prizes [will be awarded for] the best performers or performances,” she informs.

The Festival Queen says the third phase will entail the provision free preventative dental health care. This includes the distribution of care packages comprising toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other oral health accessories.

Despite the project’s targeting children in Manchester, Dr. Reid says it can be replicated in other parishes.

“I would still need more help, because I am taking on a big task and I would like to go over the goal of 590 children,” she points out.

Dr. Reid says assistance will be needed to secure toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss as well as notebooks and pens, among other items, for the participants.

She indicates that several of Manchester’s parliamentarians have endorsed the initiative and are committed to collaborating on it and assisting in piloting its implementation in their constituencies.

Additionally, Dr. Reid says several of the parish’s business stakeholders, including her national sponsor, Future Energy Source Company Limited (FESCO), are interested in partnering.

“So, I am really excited about [that, and how the overall support will help in] making a difference to oral health in Jamaica,” she adds.

Dr. Reid says despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, she is proceeding with the safe implementation of the project.

She advises that she plans to utilise the digital space for school talks and mentorship sessions, citing social media platforms among the options being considered.

Dr. Reid says she has benefitted significantly from her participation in the competition.

She cites the training sessions in etiquette, grooming, speech and diction, and current affairs, which the JCDC organises ahead of the national competition, among the standout areas for her.

“I gained so much knowledge from the experience, and I was able to network with the 12 other [parish] queens and build friendships that I definitely know will last a lifetime,” she says.

Dr. Reid points out that the competition’s concept and what it stands for, influenced her decision to participate.

She notes that the event is “much deeper” than a beauty contest, since contestants must undertake a community project within the parish they represent.

“Because I am so fascinated with service and giving back, I thought it would be a nice avenue for me to give back to Manchester [and] Jamaica, and to do a project linked to [my profession],” she says.

The young queen notes that she always looks for ways in which she can volunteer and give back to her community, as evidenced by her engagements over the years.

Dr. Reid has been an active member of the Rotaract Club for the past seven years, both in Trinidad and Jamaica, and currently serves as the Director of Finance for the Mandeville Chapter.

Additionally, she has spearheaded and participated in numerous community projects in several Caribbean countries.

Apart from a trophy and cash prize received for winning the national festival queen competition, Dr. Reid copped four sectional awards for being adjudged most active in her community, for best use of social media, most culturally aware queen, and best performance.

“I was very happy, because I put a lot of hard work into the competition, and I was [pleased] to know that [it] paid off. All the time spent doing training, practising the talent piece, paid off in the end,” she says.

The young surgeon also won numerous awards for academic achievement. She created history by being the first person from the UWI’s Dental Faculty to win all the subject awards, as well as the best overall performance award.

Additionally, she copped the Republic Bank Award for Excellence in Trinidad and Tobago.

In 2014, Dr. Reid was awarded the prestigious Governor-General’s Achievement Award for Manchester in the 18-25 age category, for academic excellence and community involvement.