Dwight E. McLeod accepted his mission to serve others more than two decades ago. The professor of periodontics and dean of A.T. Still University’s Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health continues to heed this call annually by returning home to Jamaica with D3 students who skillfully provide free oral health care to underserved communities.
“When those students leave Jamaica they are no longer in the bubble,” McLeod said. “I am proud that some of them have created their own oral health care mission both locally and abroad.”
Dwight E. McLeod
During the 2024 Jamaica Dental Mission, 640 patients were treated. So far, a total of 20,385 patients have been served since it began in April of 2000.
“When I reflect and look back on the last 23 years I think we have done some good,” McLeod said.
“We promote oral health literacy, informing and educating patients of their oral health needs, and overall impact on general health. Oral health awareness will help keep dental patients out of crowded hospital emergency rooms. This is also a priority at the St. Louis Dental Center because regular dental care and hygiene prevent unnecessary ER visits.”
“I’ve learned so much from Dean McLeod,” Madeline Fox said when describing her experience in Jamaica during the mission trip. Fox is a third-year dental student who says watching McLeod helping others from the same community he came from inspires her to do the same.
McLeod is surrounded by local faculty and students from ATSU-MOSDOH and Southern Illinois University School of Pharmacy, general dentists and dental specialists from private practice, dental auxiliaries, other healthcare providers, and non-dental assistants committed to helping him carry out ‘his purpose on earth.’
Many volunteers have supported the Dental Mission Project, with many expressing a strong commitment to helping the underserved population of Jamaica gain access to dental care and understand oral health awareness.
“This is not a project done alone; I look at this as our project,” McLeod said.
McLeod lives by the mantra that no man is an island and no man stands alone. Between 70 and 80 volunteers who he says are caring and kind give up a week every year to aid rural Jamaicans. “This is a collective effort I could have not done alone.”
Patients received teeth cleaning services, extractions, restoration, and root canals. “My experience on the Jamaica Dental Mission was incredibly touching, from helping a 16-year-
old restore his smile, working alongside skilled doctors, relieving pain, and providing preventive care to an underserved community,” said ATSU-MOSDOH student Adwar Shamuna. “Giving back in this way is truly beautiful, and I’m committed to continuing this work.”
“The Jamaica experience reinforced my passion for serving underserved communities and
highlighted the importance of addressing oral health disparities on a global scale,” said ATSU-
MOSDOH student Euslah Kigen. “Working in a resource-limited setting taught me to be
creative with available tools and find efficient ways to provide care. I learned how to make the
most of what we had to meet patient needs.”
Kigen grew up in Kenya and never received dental care until she came to the United States. She plans to take what she is learning at the dental school back home to Kenya. Kigen said that Dean McLeod is a great mentor who is very passionate about his craft.
McLeod believes he was born to make a difference. He said he feels blessed to have found his purpose in life.
“This clinical experience can be life-changing,” Dr. McLeod added. “The opportunity to serve this
population is about dentistry and more. It’s about volunteerism, professionalism, collaboration,
community relationships, and promoting educational excellence and cultural awareness.”
McLeod had identified several goals to accomplish through the Jamaica Dental Mission Trip:
- Eliminate oral health care disparities
- Get dental care access to those communities that need it
- Develop a structured and functional preventive oral health program
- Partner with more local school districts and surrounding communities to raise funds to build a dental clinic equipped to deliver comprehensive care to children and adults
- Implement an effective preventive program
- Partner with the government and other entities to improve the quality of oral health for all Jamaicans
Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.
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