*Any other arrangement may require paying additional project fees.  

Want to volunteer in Jamaica?
There are 3 easy steps to become a volunteer:
1. Read the information below and “Know Before You Go!”
2. Apply Online
3. If your application is accepted, you’ll register for the trip following our online checklist

Overview: It's all about "One Love"
Each year, about 200 humanitarian heroes travel to Jamaica from all across the USA, Canada, the UK and beyond to help with nearly 15,000 people in great need. In the process, we find that we the volunteers receive far more from the project than we can ever give. We ask each volunteer to join with an open heart, a good sense of humor, a willingness to learn and the ability to "go with the flow". The purpose of this project can be spelled out in four letters:
L-O-V-E!
In Jamaica, they have a saying: "One Love" - which simply means we are all brothers and sisters in the highest spiritual sense. That is why we care - that is why we come.

Life Changing
We are repeatedly told by our volunteers their lives have been forever changed positively by the 1000 Smiles Project. They tell us this is one of, if not the most, rewarding experiences of their lives. Volunteers make new friends, learn about Jamaicans, learn about themselves and have a chance to act from the heart to become that highest person within each one of us.

Who Can Go?
You don’t have to be a dental professional to volunteer on the 1000 Smiles Project. Dentists of all types, hygienists and other dental professionals make up about half of our team. The other half includes friends, parents, students, retirees, lawyers, construction workers and folks from all walks of life. Non-dental professionals help with various jobs such as patient flow, sterilization, chair side assisting and the education team. Volunteers must be 18 years or older. Exceptions may be requested from Great Shape! staff.

How Long Can I Stay?
Volunteers can stay for 1 or 2 weeks depending on your preference. You must arrive and depart on specific dates (see top for details). If you wish to arrive or depart on other dates you must get permission from Great Shape! staff and you will be responsible for any additional expenses incurred, including hotels. If you wish to stay for more than two weeks please contact Great Shape! staff.

Costs
1) Volunteers pay their own airfare and a $700 project fee*.
2) Hotel, food, drinks, airport transfers in Jamaica and resort amenities are all provided for free by Sandals Resorts International.
3) You can be refunded some or all of your project fee and airfare through our Sponsor-A-Smile fundraising campaign.
4) Your project fee and travel expenses are tax deductible. All donations made to Great Shape! in the Sponsor-A-Smile campaign are tax deductible for the donor.
5) Dentists and hygienists must buy or procure donations for all supplies necessary to serve 75 patients per week.
6) Volunteers pay to ship their supplies to Miami. Great Shape! Inc. pays to ship the supplies from Miami to Jamaica.
* All project fees go directly to offset the expenses of the project to operate and administer a well organized, safe and productive international humanitarian experience.

Leadership
The 1000 Smiles Project is facilitated by Great Shape! and directed by Joseph Wright, Executive Director of Great Shape! Inc. Joseph, better known as "Papa Joe" by the kids in Jamaica, is the primary organizer and administrator of the project. He has spent 15 years volunteering with Great Shape, 11 of them as its director. He and the Great Shape! team are experts in Jamaican culture and speak fluent Patois.  Each session will have veteran volunteer dentists and hygienists as clinical team leaders to provide clinical orientation, coaching and guidance to new comers. 
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The Experience
The work is hard but rewarding. However, after a long hard day in the field, you'll experience fun camaraderie in the relaxing luxury of Sandals and Beaches All-Inclusive Resorts. While the primary purpose is to help those in need, there is plenty of cross cultural interaction, learning and free-time. In general, work is 8-5 M-F while evenings and weekends offer free time. First Sundays are set aside for orientation and set up.
 
Clinical Services
Our group divides into separate teams consisting of dentists, assistants, hygienists and other helpers. Each team is assigned to a different location. We set up portable dental equipment in temporary clinic locations ranging from country schools to rural health clinics. We also set up a clinic at the host hotel to treat Sandals and Beaches staff. Children and adults come to us for basic dental services including cleanings, fillings, sealants and extractions. While we want to save every tooth possible, the reality is that the greatest need is often an extraction. Jamaicans are a strong people with strong bones and deep root structures that are often challenging to extract. Some of our teams are dedicated as “child-only” clinics in an effort to improve the oral health of a whole generation of children within specific communities over a period of time. 

Education Team
Another team visits schools in the area promoting preventative oral hygiene. Toothbrushes, paste and floss are also distributed. The education component is considered critical to our long term goals of sustaining and promoting healthier teeth and gums.

Ministry of Health
We often work side by side with dental professionals with the Jamaican Ministry of Health, including dental nurses and assistants. These professionals are well educated and are experts in working on Jamaican teeth. We can learn as much from them as they do from us. The Jamaican Ministry of Health grants us permission to work in their country and requires registration of all volunteers. In all cases, we volunteers must remember that we are visitors in another country and we must always approach our relationship with Jamaican officials with the greatest of respect, honor and grace. 

Work Conditions
Dental work in rural Jamaica is challenging. Our volunteers tell us “I never work this hard at home!” You will be working in the humid, tropical heat, often in rudimentary buildings, sometimes with bugs and always with equipment that is less efficient than what you use at home. Sometimes the equipment breaks down altogether. However, these challenges are all part of the adventure of humanitarian projects. We support the teams as best as possible to keep things flowing and going.
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Equipment
The project provides chairs, lights and delivery systems. Some of them are donated units from the USA and others are portable field units. While we do our best to have excellent working equipment for each volunteer, the reality is that in a developing country, there are many challenges you may face that you are not accustomed to in the USA. For example, electricity in Jamaica runs at 110 Volts at 50 cycles, whereas in USA it runs 110 volts at 60 cycles. This causes most of our gear to under perform. The gear can also just decide not to work the way we want and that is part of the journey of international field dentistry. 

Hand Tools and Supplies
Dentists and Hygienists are responsible to bring their needed hand tools and supplies, including hand pieces. We recommend you bring enough disposable supplies to treat 75-100 patients per week. We provide checklists for supplies and hand tools. Most volunteers ask their suppliers for donated materials and pharmaceuticals. Volunteers will need to box up all supplies to be used in Jamaica and ship them to Miami several weeks before the project. Great Shape! will ship all supplies from Miami to Jamaica, clear them through customs and have them available to you before your work starts. You will be given more instructions on this process. Hand tools and any other items you intend to bring back to the USA must be carried with you in your check-in luggage. Each volunteer must provide lists of supplies, medications and hand tools so we can obtain appropriate approval in advance from the government of Jamaica for importation and tax waivers. More information about supplies and tools will be given to volunteers after registration.

Locations, Schedule and Accommodations
The clinics are scattered throughout the Parishes of Hanover (town of Negril), St. James (town of Montego Bay) and St. Ann (town of Ocho Rios). They are located in health clinics, churches, schools and other facilities. All clinics are less than an hour's drive from the hotels. Each morning, volunteers leave the hotel at 8am by van, start work by 9am and return by 5pm. Evenings and weekends are free time except for orientation and training.

3 People to a Room
Accommodations are in the first class, all-inclusive Sandals Resorts. They include all you can eat, drink and play. These hotels are within a 2 hour drive from the Montego Bay Airport. Each volunteer will share a room with two other people. Each person who wants their own bed will have one. Volunteers will be matched with roommates by request or in the most compatible way, whenever possible. We recommend organizing your group into 3’s so you can be roommates with those you know. Volunteers are welcome to enjoy the many amenities of the resorts during their free time, including various restaurants, bars, entertainment, water sports, scuba diving, pools, etc – all free!
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Airfare
The airport you must fly into is Montego Bay, Jamaica or "MBJ". Volunteers make their own travel arrangements but must arrive at the airport by the assigned timeline. Airfare to Jamaica can vary from $300 to $850 depending on location, airline and availability.  We recommend that you first check Expedia or Orbitz for general pricing, but then, once you have found something you like, purchase directly from the airline carrier websites. Airlines that serve Jamaica are Air Jamaica, Northwest Airlines, US Air, Continental, Delta, Spirit and American. Please contact us if you need help with travel advice.

Travel Documents
All Americans are now required to carry a current passport to re-enter the USA. U.S. and Canadian citizens are not required to use a VISA to enter Jamaica. If you are not a US or Canadian citizen, please contact us to make sure you have the correct documentation for entry and return. You should always carry a photo copy of your travel documents separate from the originals in case the originals are lost or stolen. This will expedite permission to re-enter your country.
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Water, Food, & Health Concerns
We highly recommend you consult your doctor before traveling to Jamaica or any foreign country for current health considerations. Having said that, water in Jamaica is treated and safe to drink from the tap. Bottled water is also readily available. The food is plentiful, delicious, fresh, varied and safe to eat. Stomach disorders in Jamaica are rare. There is no Malaria in Jamaica, and other mosquito transmitted diseases are rare. There are doctors and hospitals in Jamaica, but emergency services can be difficult to obtain in a timely fashion. As is typical in a developing nation, the quality of services may be well below what we are used to in America, usually due to a lack of infrastructure or personnel. Emergency evacuation to the USA for emergency medical attention may be required, depending on the severity and urgency of the situation. We strongly advise each volunteer secure their own emergency medical travel insurance and contact your insurance company about what to do and what is covered in the event of a medical emergency.

HIV
Jamaica has an HIV rate of 1.2% of the population as of 2003 according to the CIA world fact book. This is far below many countries in Africa and other places. Yet the risk of infection by an accidental poke with a needle or other sharp instrument remains. We place a high emphasis on safety with our volunteers to take the greatest of care in the clinics to prevent any kind of accident. Testing (patients and volunteers) for HIV is possible in Jamaica, but sometimes it is not available in a timely fashion.  In the unlikely event you are poked with a dirty needle or instrument, you will have to decide if you want to take HIV medications (prophylaxis). You may wish to review this possibility with your doctor prior to participation so you are better prepared for the decision should you have to make it.
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How do I sign up or get more information?
Applications are now being accepted for the 2010 1000 Smiles Project. This project fills up fast so apply as soon as you know you want to go. Your spot is not guaranteed until your project fee has been received.
Click here to apply for the 1000 Smiles 2009 Dental Project. If your application is approved you will return to the website to complete your registration. We will work with you to make sure you have everything you need to participate.
For more information please contact Great Shape! at 510-893-1751 or email us at greatshape (at) gsjamaica.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it