If many people in Jamaica are smiling easier today, it’s thanks, in no small part, to Dr. Gary Glassman, a Jewish endodontist in Toronto whose philanthropic work has raised the level of oral health significantly in the Caribbean nation.
Each year, Jamaica attracts some 300,000 Canadian visitors, most seeking a sunbaked respite from their notoriously fierce winter. None of them has accomplished what Glassman has done over the past 20 years as part of his humanitarian mission.
Since learning about Jamaica’s shortage of dentists and dire dental situation in 1998, Glassman has made dozens of trips there — at his own expense — donating his time and expertise. Forsaking fun in the sun, he’s performed free, desperately-needed treatment, often of an emergency nature, on local residents in field clinics and health fairs. The majority often haven’t seen a dentist in years, if ever.
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Dr. Gary Glassman is an editorial board member for Oral Health – read his 2016 issue here.
