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Application Closed.
Course Dates: Aug. 14 – Dec. 15, 2023
Travel Dates: Oct. 21 – Oct. 30 , 2023
Dental Hygiene Service Learning Experience in Jamaica
This is a service learning experience through an organization called Great Shape!, Inc., that was established in 1988. One of Great Shape’s programs is called “1000 Smiles project.” While the primary purpose is to help those in need, there is plenty of cross cultural interaction, and learning.
During the week-long experience (approximately 32 hours), the group will divide into 3 or 4 separate teams consisting of dentists, assistants, hygienists, and other helpers. Each team is assigned to a different location. Portable dental equipment will be set up for use in temporary clinic locations ranging from country schools to rural health and hotel clinics, where dental hygiene services and care will be provided. The volunteers will also distribute toothbrushes and toothpaste, while providing patient education in oral health in the local schools and throughout the island community. This International experience will count as practicum hours for the course DEH 2702C.
Think you can’t afford to study abroad? Scholarships and other ways to fund your study abroad program are available. Explore scholarship options now.
Available courses – Students must enroll in the course listed below during the fall semester in order to be able to participate.
Note: Students must confirm with an academic advisor that they meet all college enrollment requirements AND course prerequisites to be eligible to enroll in the course listed. Students receiving financial aid must confirm with a financial aid advisor whether their study abroad course will be covered by financial aid.
Professor: Amy Krueger
Lead faculty contacts
After you submit the application online, we will review your application and e-mail you with details of scheduling your interview with the Jamaica Dental trip lead faculty, Amy Krueger, 727-341-3691.
Other SPC Study Abroad trips
Learn more about other Study Abroad countries where SPC students have made their mark.
Student Travel Blog – For a taste of what it’s like to study abroad in Jamaica, or to follow our students as they travel, read posts from the Jamaica blog below.
My trip to Antigua with the Saint Petersburg College dental hygiene program was a life-changing experience. Prior to this trip, I had never been out of the country, so I was honestly a bit nervous. This experience not only gave me a greater understanding of the cultural aspects of Antigua, but it also opened my … Continue reading SPC Antigua: A life-changing experience!
It is safe to say that I’ve gained so much more from this trip than I gave. While I did provide the people of Antigua with great dental care and education, they changed my life forever. They welcomed me with open arms and allowed me to be a part of their culture. They opened my … Continue reading SPC Antigua Dental Hygiene: We’ve gained so much more from this!
I recently had the opportunity to travel to the beautiful island of Antigua and Barbuda on a dental mission trip as a student dental hygienist. This experience allowed me to combine my passion for oral hygiene with cultural exploration in such a welcoming place. The locals were incredibly kind and taught us so much about … Continue reading SPC Antigua: Changed my perspective and strengthened my passion for helping others!
Participating in a study abroad experience through my dental hygiene program at SPC was one of the most meaningful parts of my education so far. Spending ten days in Antigua, providing free dental care to underserved communities, changed me in the best way possible. Leaving the classroom and my textbooks behind, I gained confidence in … Continue reading SPC Antigua: Values service, hands-on learning, and global connection!
One of the greatest highlights throughout my journey in dental hygiene school has been the opportunity to travel to Jamaica. This opportunity allowed me to apply all the concepts that I have learned to be able to provide quality care to Jamaicans who reside in underserved communities. The moment that I arrived in Jamaica, I … Continue reading One Love!
This experience has shown me the purest form of love by the people of Jamaica. I feel like a changed person from this trip, it has shaped me into a more compassionate person. I not only improved my clinical skills but also my people skills, I am a much stronger clinician for my patients because … Continue reading Jamaica changed me for life
Staying positive and going with the flow were the key topics during our trip to Jamaica. You never knew what the next patient had going on relating to their oral health and the goal was to see as many patients as possible. Many of the patients that we saw had never been to the dentist … Continue reading Transformative Journey: A Dental Hygiene Adventure in Jamaica
This program has been the highlight of my 2-year Dental Hygiene program. Before this experience, I never thought about the access to care that other countries, like Jamaica, lack. I saw firsthand how poor the communities we worked in were, yet every single person was so happy and loving. The culture was so different than … Continue reading SPC Jamaica Program: Once in a lifetime experience
Jamaica was an amazing experience! I am so grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The people of Jamaica were extremely grateful for the services we provided. The children are so respectful and appreciative. Visiting the impoverished areas was eye-opening and made me realize how much we take for granted. I believe this opportunity greatly improved not … Continue reading SPC Jamaica: An Amazing Experience
It is hard to find the right words to describe my study abroad experience in Jamaica. I knew when I applied that this would be a great experience and a way to sharpen my clinical skills as a dental hygienist. What I did not realize was how rewarding the humanitarian aspect of this opportunity would … Continue reading SPC Jamaica Program: Indescribable Experience