“Sometimes I lay under the moon and thank God I’m breathing. Then I pray, don’t take me soon ‘cause I am here for a reason…” Those lyrics by reggae artist Matisyahu keep playing in my head again and again. The people of Jamaica have touched me in a way that is hard to put into words. I am forever changed by their kindness, love, and peaceful way of living.
As I reflect on the first time I heard about the Dental Hygiene International Study Abroad Program 2 years ago, I remember my heart pounding heavily and tears rolling down my face as I watched the presentation that was given by the students that had just returned from their journey and I knew right then and there that I HAD to go! I had a strong desire to serve the impoverished communities and I wanted to make a difference in their lives by giving them the confidence to smile. What I did not know is just how much the people of Jamaica would impact me in return!
With high hopes, I applied to be a part of this great program and in February I received amazing news that I had gotten selected to study abroad along with 8 of my fellow Dental Hygiene classmates! Over the next several months we collected monetary donations, held garage sales, and gathered supplies such as masks, instruments, gloves, etc. to prepare for our trip. Before we knew it October was here…but something we never expected to happen, did. Hurricane Matthew was brewing in the Caribbean and headed straight for Jamaica and Cuba. We did not depart as we had planned to on October 1st. In fact, our trip had been cancelled twice…but God still had a plan for us and we were finally on a flight on our way to Jamaica Wednesday, October 5th after the hurricane turned East. When we arrived at our resort, we spent several hours sorting supplies in 30 gallon tubs to head out to the clinics the next day.
We worked in makeshift clinics in unfinished buildings with no air conditioning and hardly any windows to let the sunlight in. The units we used were portable and very different to what we were used to at school. None of this surprised me, but it gave me a great appreciation for what we have here. People were lined up at the door ready, patient, and anxiously waiting for us to help. By choice, many of us worked through our lunch break, only stopping during the day to run to the restroom really quickly or take a quick sip of water, because we wanted to see as many patients as possible! I will never forget one patient in particular…Her name was Nardia. She was 32 years old and 8 months pregnant with her 4th child. She had never been to the dentist before let alone had her teeth cleaned and it was a true honor for me to be her very first hygienist. I not only cleaned her teeth and gave her confidence to smile, but I was able to educate her about how important it is to remove the bacteria from her teeth and gums effectively and talk to her about proper nutrition for herself and her baby on the way. At the end of the appointment, she broke down in tears and told me that I was “an angel sent from heaven!” I thanked her and giggled, but she said “No, Nicole I am serious…You do not know what you just did for me, for my family…I want you to be the god-mother of my child!” I cried with her. I cried because I knew I was RIGHT where I needed to be, at that time, in that place…and it confirmed that I was meant to do this, to have CRDH by my name…So when school gets rough, I will think of her and the difference I made and I will continue to persevere because God has a plan for me and my life.
Through this program, our team was able to provide approximately $182,000 in free dental care via scaling and root planning, full mouth debridement, prophylaxis, sealants, local anesthesia injections, patient education, nutritional/tobacco counseling, and fluoride treatments. We were able to give our patients toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss to bring home and use. We also went to local schools and handed out toothbrushes and I loved seeing how excited they were!
Prior to traveling to Jamaica, I had never been outside of the country before other than a day in port stepping off of a cruise ship, so this was a great cultural experience for me! I am forever grateful and humbled that I was given the opportunity by St. Petersburg College and volunteer through Great Shape! Inc for their 1000 Smiles Project! I want to personally thank Mrs. Krueger for her tenacity and determination to get us there this year! I also want to thank Mrs. Tonner, Dr. Krueger, the SPC International Programs staff, Dental Hygiene faculty, friends, family, and our amazing Class of 2017 for your support…Without you, this trip would not have been possible! I cannot wait to go back someday…
One Love,
Nicole O’Connor