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 only my clinical skills but also helped me to grow on a personal level. I am eternally grateful to my classmates, faculty, and Great Shapes who made this possible. This trip was truly a life-changing experience! I will forever remember this study abroad Jamaica trip. One love. 
– Blake, SPC Jamaica Dental Study Abroad Program, October 2023

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 or had a dental cleaning, so it was key to educate them on what is going on in
their mouth, give them oral hygiene instruction to better themselves, and always end on a
positive note. The clinics that we worked in were hectic at times, and the heat didn’t help.
Every now and then a patient would sneak up in hopes of getting seen which frustrated
other clinicians. It’s imperative to go with the flow in hopes of not upsetting other clinicians
and working as a team to see as many patients as we could. I think that working with my
classmates was one of my favorite parts of this program. We work well at our school’s clinic,
and going out to Jamaica really just proved to us how we respect and want each other to
thrive. We got to grow closer as friends and as a team, this program helped give us a
glimpse of what the real world will be like as dental hygienists.
– Grace, SPC Jamaica Dental Study Abroad Program, October 2023