1000 Smiles Jamaica Dental Volunteer Trips

We were thrilled to partner with Great Shape! Inc. for our team’s first mission trip in October 2016 to provide dental care to the people of Jamaica and we had a wonderful return trips in September 2017 and 2018 providing free dental care to Jamaicans in the Ocho Rios and Whitehouse areas of Jamaica.

Founded in 2003, 1000 Smiles is the world’s largest, international, humanitarian, dental project.  1000 Smiles Dental Project provides free access to dental care and education to families in the Caribbean. More than 700 volunteers join 1000 Smiles each year to provide people with fillings, root canals, cleanings, extractions, sealants, dentures and oral health education in temporary dental clinics and schools.  In rural Jamaica there is only one dentist for every 100,000 people, leaving most with no access to dental care.

Untreated tooth decay leads to infections, disease, unemployment and even death in Jamaica.  The volunteers that participate with Great Shape are helping to produce an entire generation of kids with healthy gums and teeth, according to Executive Director Joseph Wright.

In Jamaica, they have a saying: “One Love” – which simply means we are all brothers and sisters in the highest spiritual sense.

Our hygienists Karen and Samantha provided dental cleanings to many patients who had never had their teeth cleaned before.

Erin helped with patient check-in and clinic flow, but especially enjoyed the time spent getting to know the patients as they waited for hours for their dental treatment.

Dr. Kelly and our assistant Kelly treated patients of all ages.

 

Joppa Cottage Homes

As part of its mission to help prevent and end homelessness in the Des Moines area, Joppa is building truly-affordable Cottage Homes as permanent housing for seniors, veterans and others on fixed or part-time incomes, while laying the groundwork for Iowa’s first Tiny Home Village to provide transitional housing in a safe, secure, gated-community along with structured programs that help people gain sources of income and overcome other barriers to permanent housing.

Dr. and Mrs. Sedars were proud to be sponsors of the first cottage home which was unveiled on February 14, 2019.

Special Olympics-Special Smiles

During the Iowa Special Olympics Summer Games, Dr. Sedars and his staff participate in Healthy Athletes, a screening program to improve greater overall health and fitness for the athletes.  Many of the athletes lack access to medical professionals who have training in treating individuals with intellectual disabilities. This leaves many of them without proper medical care.  Healthy Athletes provides dental, vision, and hearing screenings and other fitness and wellness activities.

Smile Squad

Dr. Sedars has been a volunteer numerous times for the Smile Squad, a mobile dental clinic program providing onsite dental services at Dallas & Polk county schools using a custom built RV equipped with two state-of-the-art exam/treatment rooms, digital x-ray, lab/sterilization room and a wheelchair lift.  This program is coordinated through the Des Moines Health Center.  Schools with the highest enrollment of children in the free/reduced lunch program are given priority for services.

School Presentations

Dr. Sedars & his staff have given presentations regarding oral health and dentistry to students at Kids Korner II, Rainbow Connection, Faith’s Flock Preschool, Adel Elementary School, Dallas Center Elementary School, Winterset Elementary School, and to local girl and boy scout troops.

ADM Elementary Health Fair

Organizations We Support

Adel Family Dentistry, P.C. is a proud supporter of our local community and schools.  We are members of Adel Partners Chamber of CommerceADM Athletic Booster Club, and the ADM Fine Arts Booster Club.

Some of the other organizations we support include area churches, The Adel Fire Department, The John D. Gomke Charity, The Adel Crisis Center, The American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Children’s Miracle Network, Catholic Charities, The American Heart Association, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Variety-The Children’s Charity, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and The Salvation Army.