Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, November 29, 2024 – Over 6000 residents are smiling a little brighter for the holidays following the recently concluded 1000 Smiles free dental clinics, and oral health education workshops implemented by the Sandals Foundation and its partners, United States based non-profit Great Shape! Inc.

As part of its continued commitment to community health and development, the Sandals Foundation coordinated logistics for a series of public dental clinics at the Church of God of Prophecy in Five Cays and at the clinic at the Public Hospital in Providenciales. Beaches Resorts team members also benefited from the services which included cleaning, filling, extractions, root canals, x-rays, dentures, dental sealants and fluoride treatment, through a staff clinic held at the Key West Conference Room on resort.

Shantelle Senior-Clarke, Project Manager of Great Shapes! Inc. in highlighting the continued success of this year’s initiative, noted, “For the three weeks of dental clinics which included the post operational phase, there were a total of 1157 cleanings, 968 fillings, 724 extractions, 75 X-rays, 260 dental sealants, 725 fluoride treatments, 30 root canals, and 82 follow – ups.” She further added, “It was a lot of hard work but well worth it.”

This year’s success was made possible through the collaboration of key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health and Human Services, Turks and Caicos Islands Government Dental Clinic.

Together, they successfully managed the logistics of one hundred and forty two (142) volunteer dental care practitioners and non-dental professionals from the United States, Canada and the Caribbean over a one month period.

Dr. Maria Tuason, a volunteer with the programme for over five years who also took her 12 year old grand-daughter shared, “one of the most rewarding part of my visits has always been the interaction with children. Both adults and children are afraid at times of the procedures but whenever I talk with them and explain what I will be doing, they usually feel more comfortable in allowing me to provide them with the service. This year was no different as I got the chance to provide quality care for the people of Turks and Caicos Islands and gave them back their confidence with their smiles.”

In addition to the dental services, residents also had their capacity built in preventative oral health care education. The oral health education team visited twelve schools throughout Providenciales sharing in a fun and engaging activities with students and distributing oral healthcare packages for continued use.

By targeting children, it is hoped that healthy dental hygiene habits will be developed at an early age. Early Childhood teacher at BEST Institute Dawn Brivett-Ford shared, “Early education helps to prevent common dental problems like gum disease and cavities. Learning about oral health with a fun team like our volunteers, also helps children develop a positive attitude towards dental care. A positive impression in childhood will last for a lifetime.”

Orville Morgan, Public Relations Manager said while the scheduled visits coincided with schools’ mid – term breaks, “We were willing to visit two schools in one day when necessary because this is valuable information being shared.”

“Maintaining good oral health is important at every age but is particularly important during childhood, Morgan noted, “Poor oral health has been linked to health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory infections. With that being said, dental health education can help children take control of their oral health. It is likely to boost their self-confidence, academic performance may improve and also their quality of life.”

Managing Director of Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Sandals Foundation Ambassador, James McAnally affirmed the resort’s promise to delivering quality service to the community in support of the wellbeing of families. “We are as committed to the residents of the Turks and Caicos, a large percentage of whom make up our workforce. Knowing that there are families in need of dental care who cannot afford to visit the dentist, motivates us to continue our partnership with Great Shapes! Inc. Each year the volunteers provide quality dental care and they work tirelessly to serve as many patients as possible.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS

Header – Dr Janice A.M. Baron, (left) Chief Dental Officer within the Ministry of Health and Human Services examines the Beaches Turks and Caicos dental clinic space at the Key West conference room along with Dental Hygienist Sophia Harris.

1st insert – One of the dental hygienist with the Great Shape Inc! 1000 Smiles programme takes her time to provide the best service to one of the clients at the Church of God of Prophecy in Five Cays at the community clinic

2nd insert – The Beaches Turks and Caicos resort team members had a full team of dental professionals in the comfort of the Key West Village conference which was converted into a dental clinic for two weeks, here a dental hygienist provides services to on of the team members

 3rd insert – The Church of God of Prophecy hall for the second consecutive year was converted into a state of the art dental clinic where clients were able to receive various services from the Great Shape Inc! 1000 Smiles dental team for two weeks

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos – November 25, 2024 – interCaribbean Airways is proud to announce its crowning achievement as “World’s Leading Regional Airline 2024” at the prestigious World Travel Awards (WTA) Grand Final Gala Ceremony in Madeira, Portugal. Accepting the award on behalf of the airline was Chairman and Founder Lyndon Gardiner. This global recognition follows the airline’s earlier triumph as “Caribbean’s Leading Cabin Crew 2024,” demonstrating its growing prominence in international aviation.

“Being named World’s Leading Regional Airline fills us with pride – it’s not just our win, but a win for the entire Caribbean,” shared Trevor Sadler, CEO of interCaribbean Airways. “This global recognition validates our commitment to connecting the people, places, and cultures of OUR Caribbean while delivering world-class service. We are proud to have progressed from regional recognition to competing on a world stage.”

The World Travel Awards, established in 1993, stands globally acknowledged as the hallmark of quality in the travel and tourism industry, with winners selected through votes from an international jury of hospitality experts and peers, alongside public online voting.

“This award belongs to every member of the interCaribbean family,” adds Sadler. “From our ground staff to our flight crews, and most importantly, to our loyal customers who have helped us showcase Caribbean aviation excellence to the world.”

About interCaribbean

Airways interCaribbean Airways is a privately-owned and operated airline, headquartered in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The UK-flagged airline operates 50-seat Embraer ERJ145 Regional Jets, 70 seat Bombardier CRJ700, and a fleet of turboprops, comprising 68-seat ATR72, 48-seat ATR42s, 30-seat EMB120s, and 19-seat Twin Otters. With a network spanning Georgetown, Guyana, in the south, Barbados to the east, Havana, Cuba, to the west, and Nassau, Bahamas, to the north, interCaribbean connects twenty-eight cities across seventeen countries in the Caribbean. For more information or to book a flight, visit interCaribbean.com.