Residents of Western Jamaica Can Smile Again

Residents of western Jamaica with oral health issues are breathing a sigh of relief, as the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Second Chance Smiles programme has been activated by the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA).

Under this oral health and denture replacement programme, some 10,000 Jamaicans under 60 years old are set to benefit through the more than 82 health centres across the island.

The WRHA is partnering with private dental entities in the region, MKB Dental Lab and Excellence Smiles Dental, to execute the programme.

One of the first beneficiaries of the programme is St. James resident Tina Johnson, who shared her excitement with JIS News.

I feel great about this programme because it is very expensive to do dentures privately, so I got the opportunity and made use of it. I give thanks for everyone who came on board to help give Jamaicans their ‘second smiles’,” Ms. Johnson said.

During the launch ceremony, held at the Montego Bay Type Five Health Centre, Acting Regional Dental Surgeon at the WRHA, Dr. Amalya Nelson, noted that the “purpose of the programme is to rebuild smiles, confidence and, in general, bring back health to our clients in the most productive age of life”.

She thanked MKB Dental Lab and Excellence Smiles Dental for assisting the region’s dental team in St. James, Hanover, Trelawny and Westmoreland to fabricate dentures.

“The launch of the programme by the WRHA is to increase the awareness of dental rehabilitation that is available to our candidates. It is to increase the clients’ knowledge on how to care for the prosthesis, so that we have them being able to talk, eat properly, to smile and to have good general health,” Dr. Nelson outlined.

“We also want them to socialise without embarrassment, and without fear of being stigmatised,” she added.

Parish Manager at the St. James Public Health Department, Lennox Wallace, underscored the importance of a smile to one’s confidence.

He also informed that health facilities across the parish received nine new dental chairs, adding that this comes on the heels of the recent upgrading of several health centres in St. James.

“We would have [rehabilitated] some facilities across the parish, from Barrett Town to Flanker, to Catherine Hall and Cambridge. We also built a brand-new facility in Adelphi, and every facility that we have upgraded, has a dental area,” he noted.

“After the holidays, kids have to go back to school, so you need to visit these facilities and to ensure that dental care is done,” Mr. Wallace said.

He pointed out that under $500 million has been spent to develop the facilities, to improve the care for the patients that utilise these centres.