Health
Hundreds Treated in First Ever Sandals Foundation, Beaches Resorts, Great Shape! Inc’s 1000 Smiles Dental Clinic
#TurksandCaicos, October 26, 2021 – Hundreds of people have been excitingly lining up outside the Church of God of Prophecy in Five Cays eager to meet with and be treated by an incredible team of dentists and other medical professionals at the island’s first ever 1000 Smiles Dental Clinic.
The programme, which provides access to free first-class dental care and education, is operated by the United States-based non-profit, Great Shape! Inc. and is being facilitated by the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International (SRI) which operates Beaches Resorts – the Sandals Foundation.
Since its opening day on Monday, October 15, approximately 700 people have benefitted from fillings, cleanings, extractions, root canals, sealants, dentures and more from a team of 60 Great Shape! Inc. volunteers.
Joseph Wright, Founding Executive Director of Great Shape! Inc. says, “We are thrilled to launch the 1000 Smiles Project in Turks and Caicos Islands, 18 years after our first project in Negril, Jamaica! The Covid-19 pandemic has severely disabled the governments’ ability to provide routine dental care in the countries we work in. So we are finding that after nearly 2 years, the need for dental care is acute.”
In the Turks and Caicos,” Wright continued, “The story is the same. The lines are long and the people are so incredibly grateful. With the help of Sandals Foundation, the 1000 Smiles Project launch in Turks and Caicos has been remarkably smooth and successful despite the many challenges we’ve face in these unique times.”
Clinics are open daily 8:30 to 4:30 with its operations carefully following Covid-19 safety protocols and guidelines.
To date, the teams have enjoyed the notable visits from members of the local communities including the Minister of Education and elected representative for the Five Cays District, Hon. Rachel Taylor. Hon Taylor was able to meet with the volunteer team and discuss the potential of future programs in partnership with Great Shape! Inc. and Sandals Foundation.
Heidi Clarke, Executive Director at Sandals Foundation was elated to see the turnout of families, noting that increasing access to healthcare services is a key component of the philanthropic organization’s work in improving the lives of the region’s people.
“We are beyond pleased to see the expansion of the 1000 Smiles dental programme into the beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands. Healthy people make healthy communities and as a Caribbean organization, we are fully committed to doing what we can to invest in the long term development of the region’s health sector and services”.
“These past eighteen months have been tough for families across the world,” continued Clarke, “We are very conscious of the toll this pandemic has had on families being able to meet some of their very basic needs. Good oral health reduces the risk of developing other serious diseases and so through these clinics, we just really want to help as many people as possible take care of one of the most important health investments they could make,” Heidi Clarke, Executive Director at the Sandals Foundation.
The Sandals Foundation Great Shape! Inc. dental programme has been a staple across the Caribbean since 2003, operating in the islands of Jamaica, St. Lucia and Grenada.
Here in Turks and Caicos Islands, mission volunteers are all being hosted at the Beaches Resorts with logistical, infrastructural and staff support covered by the hotel’s philanthropic arm.
Photo Captions:
Header: Volunteer Dentist hard at work performing procedures
1st insert: Great Shape! Inc. Volunteer Leader, Kevon Williams and Beaches Turks & Caicos Team Member, Quinique Cartwright
2nd insert: Dental Clinic at the Church of God of Prophecy, Five Cays
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
Turks and Caicos, September 6, 2025 – COVID-19 fears in the Turks and Caicos Islands that once had residents on edge are now giving way to a sense of relief. The Ministry of Health and Human Services reports a dramatic reversal: from dozens of new cases in July to zero cases and zero hospitalizations today.
Between August 17 and 23, 2025, officials confirmed no new cases, no hospitalizations, and no new deaths. Just two recoveries were recorded, bringing the national recovery tally to 6,866. The total confirmed cases since 2020 stand at 6,922, with deaths unchanged at 41. Health officials say August has been relatively quiet overall, with 19 new cases and recoveries recorded for the month — a fraction of what the islands faced just weeks earlier.
The contrast could not be sharper. The most concerning bulletin came in mid-July, when the Ministry reported 54 new cases in a single
week. Ten were fresh positives, while the other 44 came from a backlog of April samples. At that time, two new hospitalizations were recorded, and the islands mourned one additional COVID-related death, bringing the total to 41. It was a sobering reminder that the virus was still circulating, pushing recoveries to 6,845 and raising the cumulative case count to 6,910. The July spike stirred fear among residents and renewed calls for vigilance, as community spread and delayed lab results painted a worrying picture.
Fast forward to late August, and the numbers tell a very different story. Not only are new cases negligible, but the hospitals are reporting no COVID-19 patients at all. Officials say testing continues across a wide range of categories, and the Ministry urges the public to stay cautious: wash hands, wear masks in crowded spaces, protect the vulnerable, and get vaccinated. But the tone now is one of optimism.
Since the pandemic began in 2020, Turks and Caicos has recorded nearly 7,000 cases in total, with 6,866 recoveries and 41 deaths. The islands’ small population means every case has felt significant, and surges like July’s were especially unsettling. But today’s figures suggest the country has reached a new stage: COVID-19 is no longer the disruptive force it was. The Ministry credits continued public vigilance and the accessibility of free testing and vaccines at government clinics. While the numbers are cause for celebration, health leaders are careful not to declare the fight over. The Ministry’s latest bulletin reminds residents to maintain hygienic practices, follow self-isolation guidelines if infected, and ensure vaccinations are up to date.
The pandemic may not be entirely behind the Turks and Caicos, but compared to the frightening figures of July, the near-zero landscape of August offers a powerful sign of hope.
The Ministry released the bulletin on September 2, confirming that for the week of August 17–23, no new cases, hospitalizations, or deaths were recorded — a sharp contrast to the surge just weeks earlier.
Health
Turks and Caicos Islands Health Delegation Completes Strategic Visits to Florida and Cayman Islands to Advance Health Sector Reform and Strengthen Treatment Abroad Programme
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 22 August 2025 — A high-level delegation from the Ministry of Health and Human Services (MOHHS) has successfully concluded strategic working visits to Florida and the Cayman Islands from August 5–13, 2025. The mission aimed to strengthen the Treatment Abroad Programme, explore innovative health system models, and advance the Turks and Caicos Islands’ health sector reform agenda through strategic regional partnerships.
Delegation Members:
- Hon. Kyle Knowles – Minister of Health and Human Services
MoHHS Team with Health City Executive Management Team
- Mrs. Desiree Lewis – Permanent Secretary, Health and Human Services
- Mr. Lynrod Brooks – Director, Health Policy and Planning
- Ms. Florinda Talbot – Contract Performance Manager
- Mrs. Romaine Missick-Smith – CEO, Health Regulations Authority
- Ms. Jasmine Malcolm – Executive Administrator, MOHHS
Minister of Health and Human Services, Hon. Kyle Knowles, highlighted the significance of these engagements:
“These visits were not ceremonial; they were strategic, focused, and impactful. In Florida, we reinforced partnerships with leading healthcare providers to ensure TCI patients referred overseas receive the highest standards of clinical care and patient support. In the Cayman Islands, our mission was two-fold: to study the operations of the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority as a model to guide the establishment of our own Health Services Authority, and to strengthen ties with Cayman-based treatment partners, where many of our patients are referred under the Treatment Abroad Programme. Both visits underscored that small island states share many health challenges, and that collaboration, innovation, and adapting best practices to our local context are essential to achieving better health outcomes for our people.”
Florida – Strengthening the Treatment Abroad Programme
MoHHS Team with Cayman Minsterial officials
During the period August 5–9, the delegation visited Broward Medical Center, University of Miami Health System, Cleveland Clinic, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, and the International Reinsurance Managers Network. They also toured REVA Air Ambulance Services to review medical evacuation operations and patient transfer management. Discussions centered on patient care pathways, specialized services in ophthalmology, cardiology, oncology, and pediatrics, family-centered care models, advanced telemedicine for pre- and post-treatment consultations, and reinsurance strategies for high-cost overseas cases. Key outcomes include agreements to expand telehealth consultations, develop a standardized referral package to reduce delays, explore reinsurance arrangements to safeguard public health budgets, and establish specialized pediatric transfer protocols.
Cayman Islands – Health Sector Reform and Treatment Abroad Partnerships
From August 10–13, the delegation engaged with senior executives at Health City Cayman Islands, including Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil (Clinical Director), Shomari Scott (Chief Business Development Officer), Rebecca Brooks (Head of Marketing and Sales), and Ingrid Harris (Sales and Marketing). The team toured two hospital facilities and held in-depth discussions with Lizzette Yearwood, Chief Executive Officer along with leadership staff of the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority
The focus was two-fold:
- Health Sector Reform – Examining governance, financial management, and operational structures of the Cayman Islands HSA model
MoHHS Team with CEO and senior official Cayman HSA
to inform TCI’s development of its own Health Services Authority.
- Treatment Abroad Strengthening – Reviewing current referral arrangements with Cayman healthcare partners to enhance patient care coordination and improve treatment pathways for TCI patients referred to Cayman.
The delegation also met with Honourable Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, Minister for Health, Environment, Sustainability, and Honourable G. Wayne Panton, Parliamentary Secretary for Health. The team concluded with a meeting with Acting Premier Hon. Gary B. Rutty and Cabinet members, reaffirming the shared commitment to improving healthcare access and outcomes through regional collaboration.
Next Steps
The Ministry will incorporate lessons learned from these visits into ongoing health reform planning, ensuring that the proposed Health Services Authority is tailored to TCI’s needs while reflecting regional best practices. Efforts will continue to ensure that the Treatment Abroad Programme delivers efficient, sustainable, and patient-centered care.
