THE sounds of whirring machines interspersed with light chatter permeated the operatory while patients lay anxiously in their dental chairs waiting for their procedures to be completed. Outside, scores of persons were waiting in line to be seen, as the Great Shape! Inc/Sandals Foundation 1,000 Smiles project got under way recently in Jamaica.

1,000 Smiles has been providing free access to dental care and education for Jamaican families for the last 11 years, benefiting over 120,000 Jamaicans. Forming the Great Shape! leadership team and working diligently behind the scenes to create thousands of smiles, is a group of young Jamaicans.

Former dental hygiene student, 20-year-old Kristin Lugg, joined the Great Shape! Inc /Sandals Foundation 1,000 Smiles project in August through a volunteer arrangement with the University of Technology.

“I decided to join the Great Shape! team as a volunteer in an effort to give of myself to others, while honing my skills and experience in the dental field. The Great Shape!/Sandals Foundation partnership gives me vital first-hand exposure to dental best practices,” she said.

Although it has only been a few weeks since she has been volunteering with 1,000 Smiles, Lugg sees the experience as an eye-opener.

“I have seen the need for increased dental support in the rural communities in which we have worked and how the programme is trying to address some of these needs. It’s heart-warming to see how grateful people are. I have also seen the sacrifice that our team has made coming from overseas and from other parts of the country to give their time freely,” she noted.

Salli-Jo Walker, 23, who also studied dental hygiene at the University of Technology, first volunteered with the project in November 2011. According to Walker, the experience since then has been life-changing.

“The experience has been very rewarding,” she shared. “There have been several benefits which include excellent international leadership and work experience, a host of friends and contacts in the dental field, and improved public speaking capabilities.”

Twenty-year-old twins Roshane and Oshane Dennis joined the programme in 2010, after they were discovered by Great Shape! Executive Director Joseph Wright. The Dennis twins, who are professional drummers, now provide technical support to the Great Shape! team, after having received training and skills development with the programme.

Walker, who has since 2013 taken on the position of in-country project manager for Great Shape! 1,000 Smiles, said being able to gain fruitful employment through a charity organisation is an added benefit.

“But the behind-the-scenes work is no small job; it requires a lot of effort and dedication. I am grateful though to be a part of the team charged with developing this programme — it compels me to harness my innovative side in order to constantly elevate our standards of operation.”

She had some words of wisdom to share with young persons who may be interested in volunteering but may not see it as a viable option.

“Just step out of the box and volunteer, you may not see any rewards immediately, but in the long run it pays off — you get to significantly change lives, build your exposure, it gives you a lot of experience and it enhances your personal development. If you’re someone seeking to find your true purpose in life, volunteering is a perfect avenue to help find it.”

Persons interested in volunteering with the Great Shape! Inc /Sandals Foundation team may visit the website www.gsjamaica.org for more information.