Sandals Foundation and Great Shape Inc.! Produce More than 3000 Smiles in Providenciales  

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands, November 5, 2025 — Staying true to the high quality of service it is known to provide, Sandals Foundation, Beaches Turks and Caicos and Great Shape! Inc, have served over 3,000 Turks and Caicos Islanders with state of the art free dental care in its recently concluded clinics – 1000 Smiles.

From October 20 to November 1, a dental volunteer mission team of 140 practicing professionals provided cleaning, filling, extractions, root canals, sealants and oral health education to residents of Providenciales. Its fifth year being implemented in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), the programme’s reach indicate growing support and trust of the initiative facilitated by the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International

While visiting the site at the Blue Hills Church of God of Prophecy church in Providenciales, Minister of Health and Human Services the Hon Kyle Knowles shared his satisfaction with the work noting, “As the Minister of Health, to see firsthand the quality of work being executed is an amazing feeling. Being able to see residents of Providenciales getting quality dental care being provided by professionals who have committed themselves to volunteering is what makes this initiative more meaningful.”

“The continued relationship between Sandals Foundation, Beaches Turks and Caicos and the government of the TCI augurs well for the development of our people and our communities. For two weeks, more than 3,050 residents were served including adults and students at our primary and secondary schools,” Knowles added.

Managing Director of Beaches Turks and Caicos James McAnally shared, “We are humbled by the numbers of persons that came out this year. As a resort, we value partnerships and through the Great Shape! Inc.’s healthcare partnership, together we have created history with the number of clients being served in any one visit to a region. We are proud to have been involved in creating brighter and healthier smiles for the residents of Providenciales.”

In explaining the customer-centric approach practiced by the medical volunteers, Programme Director of Great Shape! Inc., Shantelle Clarke said, “Some people come in with anxiety and are a little bit scared to get stuff done, but, as we talk through the procedure, explain what we’re doing, and why we’re doing it, we are able to build the trust of patients who develop a sense of ease.”

For the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) Chief Dental Officer Dr Janice Baron, the value of the Great Shape! outreach is priceless noting, “It has established a good example of best practices in the field”.

Meanwhile, more than 1,600 students from Thelma Lightbourne Primary, Richmond Hill Preparatory, Community Christian Academy, Mills Institute, Ashley Learning Centre and Elite Schools also benefited from dental care education through a school tour executed in the first week. Led by the Great Shape! team, students and teachers were reminded about the importance of proper brushing, flossing and oral care through interactive sessions.

“The sessions were dynamic, educational and children-friendly. Students were able to interact and ask questions which the team were able to answer in a fulsome manner which provided much needed information for the students,” says Principal of the Ashley Learning Centre, Shelrica Grant-Banton.

Great Shape! Inc. is one of the largest dental volunteer missions in the world The dental outreach, which commenced in TCI in 2021, is made possible with Beaches Resorts providing accommodations and the charitable arm, the Sandals Foundation, spearheading logistics and offsetting the costs for transportation, as well as food and beverage for the clinics.

For more information about the Sandals Foundation and to donate, visit: https://sandalsfoundation.org.