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Pediatric Teams Travel to Jamaica

Dr. Sharine Thenard and eight staff members from Alameda and Pleasanton Pediatric Dentistry will leave for Jamaica Sept. 23 to provide a week of free dental care to Jamaican children.

They are participating in the Great Shapes! Inc., A "1,000 Smiles Project" that serves impoverished Jamaican residents.

In areas of rural Jamaica, there is one dentist for every 100,000 people. The staff members will treat children in areas surrounding Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Whitehouse and Negril.

Staff members have already shipped many of the instruments and medications they will be using to Jamaica. These include hundreds of toothbrushes, fluoride treatments, filling materials, sealant materials and lidocaine.

"This trip will not only help the children of Jamaica, but will be very impactful for myself and some of my staff," says Dr. Thenard. "We live in a land of opportunity, and sometimes we forget how fortunate we truly are. Visiting other places where there is more struggle and poverty is a good reminder to be thankful for not just the things we have, but for our life in California and the U.S.

"In addition, my staff and I love children, and we are very excited to be able to help even just a small percentage of the world's children who need dental care."

Thenard is asking for community support through donations of stickers and small toys that are light and easy to pack. While the staff has included these in their shipments, they are hoping to ensure that there will be enough for every child treated. Please bring donations to: Alameda Pediatric Dentistry and Pleasanton Pediatric Dentistry by next Wednesday, Sept. 21, to 2125 Whitehall Place in Alameda or 1443 Cedarwood Lane, Suite D in Pleasanton.

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