Dr. Bruce Justman, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Endodontics at the UI College of Dentistry, participated in a dental outreach clinic in St. Lucia, West Indies, from July 5–14, 2025. The trip was organized by Great Shape! Inc.’s 1000 Smiles program and partially sponsored by The Sandals Foundation.

"Patients in St. Lucia were very appreciative of any dental treatment they could receive. Most want to work in the tourism or service industries and so it is critical that they be able to have a complete intact smile in order to get a job," says Justman, "The treatments that we were able to provide gave them this smile and were life changing for them. Our complications and inconveniences of hot and humid, makeshift clinics and minimal instruments and materials pale in comparison to the satisfaction we get from seeing them smile and show off their new smiles. It feels good to give back to others."

The volunteer team of 28 included dentists, dental hygiene students and faculty, and support staff for administration and sterilization, representing locations across the United States. The Endodontic team consisted of Justman and Dr. Jeremy Sprouse, a second-year Endodontic resident from the University of Texas at Houston.

Over the course of one week, the team treated 614 patients, providing cleanings, restorations, root canals, and extractions. Clinics were set up in two schools and one prison across the island. Justman and Sprouse completed 14 root canals with permanent restorations. Their participation was sponsored by the AAE Foundation for Endodontics as part of the organization’s outreach initiative.

Continuing the tradition of service, Dr. Alex Hsieh, a current second-year endodontic resident at the college, will participate in a similar outreach clinic this fall.