Smiles Without Borders: Jamaica Dentistry Outreach

Howard University College of Dentistry Global Outreach Missions

St. Mary, Jamaica: July 19 - 26

As a student at Howard University College of Dentistry, the responsibility to serve communities facing profound health care disparities was deeply ingrained in me and my classmates. Under the guidance of dedicated faculty, third- and fourth-year students traditionally spent summer breaks participating in dental mission trips to Jamaica. At the time, I saw this as an extraordinary educational opportunity—one that took on even greater meaning as I learned about the severe lack of access to oral health care across the island.

Like many, my early perception of Jamaica centered on its beauty, culture, and music. It was not until Dr. Robert Bingham and Dr. Leslie Reid shared the realities of unmet health needs that I understood there was another Jamaica—one rarely seen and deeply underserved. As inspiring as this mission was, it also revealed a painful truth: participation was entirely self-funded. Coming from humble beginnings, I simply could not afford to go. That missed opportunity remains one of my greatest regrets from my Howard experience.

Today, as a faculty member at Howard University College of Dentistry, I am honored to lead students in this very mission. Our commitment to serving the underserved has never wavered, and our students continue to embody Howard’s mission of Truth and Service. Yet the same financial barrier I faced as a student still exists for today’s doctors in training.

This campaign seeks to remove that barrier. Our goal is to ensure that financial constraints never prevent a student from serving communities in need. With sustained donor support, we aspire to establish a consistent, quarterly rotation of HUCD students providing oral health care throughout Jamaica—creating lasting impact for both patients and future practitioners.

Our students do more than deliver clinical care; they bring compassion, dignity, and human connection. Lives are changed on both sides of the chair.

I invite you to partner with us. Your generosity—at any level—helps prepare socially conscious dentists while expanding access to care for vulnerable communities. Together, we can make a meaningful, global difference.

Reginald O. Salter, DDS, MBA, PhD

Associate Professor, Comprehensive Care

HUCD Class of 1999