This page is dedicated to show you the "outside of the office" side of Drs Boxx, Blaney, Lachine & Wendell and staff; events and milestones in our office, our community and our profession. We will update this page as the year progresses.
Jamaica Mission 2019
For the eighth year in a row, doctors and staff from the office returned to Treasure Beach, Jamaica to serve at the Helping Hands Dental Clinic. Donating a week of our time away from family and friends to serve the wonderful people of Jamaica.
This year we brought some new faces. Joining us this year were Georgia, who you usually see smiling at the front desk in Yorktown. Also joining us this year was Cathy Lachine, Dr Lachine's wife who is also a hygienist, and Dr Lachines youngest son Ryan. A sophmore at Jamestown High School. Rounding out our team were veteran Treasure Beach volunteers, Cindy, Tracey and Caitlyn.
Working with students from the University of Toronto in Canada, and students from the new Dental School in Kingston we were able to serve over 300 patients in 4-days.
Below are a few of our photos/memories of the week. We look forward to returning soon!
Cathy, Caitlyn, Cindy, Tracey and Georgia with big smiles just before the start of a clinic day.
Cindy, Cathy, Caitlyn and some of their new friends from the week.
Some of the more than 300 people waiting to be seen by a dentist or hygienist. Many waited patiently, for hours in the heat.
It is tradition at the end of a week of serving, for volunteers to leave their handprint on the clinic walls with their names, as a reminder of their contribution. Handprints cover almost all interior walls and are beginning to grace the outside of the clinic as well.
The end of the week "jumping picture" has become somewhat of our groups tradition. This year we tried to "kick it up" a bit by combining the jumping picture and "trashing the scrubs" (which are pretty stinky after a week of working in the heat). I think it was a big wet success! Everyone took part except Dr Lachine who had to man the camera.
Jamaica Mission 2017
This year Dr Lachine and assistant Tracey Brewer led a group of 22 dental students from The Medical University of South Carolina and Western University of Health Sciences to Hopewell Jamaica, to once again serve at the Helping Hands Dental Clinic.
The trip took place from May 27-June 3. This year we were also joined by two dentists from California, and an Oral Surgeon and his staff from Iowa. As always, we had a wonderful week serving, treating over 400 patients and getting the pleasure of interacting with dozens of school children, as the school next to the clinic was still in session. With ideal weather, we also had the pleasure of enjoying some of Jamaicas tremendous beauty, while not in the clinic. As of this posting, we are making plans for our return trip in 2018.
Tracy and Dr. Lachine spending time with the local kids before opening the clinic in Hopewell.
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The Milky Way over Treasure Beach. Red-Billed Streamer Tail Hummingbird at YS Falls, Jamaica
"The Jumping Picture" has become our newest tradition to celebrate the end of a great week of serving.
Jamaica Mission 2016
In August of 2016, doctors and staff along with their children, and dental colleagues from Virginia Beach returned to Hopwell, Jamaica to again volunteer with the Christian Dental Society mission at the Helping Hands Dental Clinic. Those on the mission included Dr Bryan Wendell, Dr Lachine and his son Connor, hygienist Cindy Lanier, hygienist Jeanna Nasser, assistant Tracey Brewer and her two daughters Rachael and Allison.
The 2016 group was also comprised of students from Baylor University School of Dentistry in Texas, and students from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
In our most successful trip to date, the team worked for four days and treated over 740 patients. Below are a few of the images taken to document the week. We would like to thank everyone that supported us in this mission, financially, prayerfully, and with their kind words of encouragement.
Jamaica Mission 2015
In August, Dr. Lachine, Dr. Wendell, hygienist Cindi Lanier and assistant Tracey Brewer (pictured below) spent a week serving in the Parish of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica Helping Hands Dental Clinic. The team of four dentists, support staff and 25 (third and forth-year) dental students from Howard University School of Dentistry served the week of August 1-8. In that time the team treated over 600 patients as they performed cleanings, fillings and extractions. The team also distributed dental supplies and medicine to patients. As the last team to staff the clinic at Hopewell, Jamaica for the year, we were inundated with patients. In years past, we would average between 95 and 120 patients per day.
This year we were treating between 150-170 per day. For many people in the area, the clinic is their only access to dental care and is only open when volunteer teams are in the country to staff it.
(l-r) Assistant-Tracey Brewer, Dr Bryan Wendell, Hygienist- Cindi Lanier, Dr Amy Baluyut, Pastor Gloria Rowe, Dr Josh Lachine and Hygienist-Lindsey O'Brien outside of the clinic at the close of the clinic week.
Drs Lachine and Wendell take a break at the end of the day, while Cindi and Tracey distribute soccer balls that were donated for local school children.
Cindi busy at work in the main clinic and Dr Wendell helping a third year dental student with a difficult extraction in the sanctuary of the church which had been converted into treatment space for the team.
Relay for Life
In June 2015 we participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. We raised $1942.00 in donations through raffles, gift card sales, bake goods/food sales and donations. We would like to thank those who generously gave to help us in our event.
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Peninsula Food Bank
In December 2014 with the help of all our giving patients, we collected and donated over $100 and 376 lbs. of food for the VA Peninsula Food Bank. A heart felt THANK YOU to you all that helped in the collection. Our goal for 2015 is 500 lbs. Help us make it!
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Jamaica Mission 2014
In July, Dr. Lachine, Dr. Wendell and assistants Tracey Brewer and Carrie Williams (pictured below) spent a week serving in the Parish of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica Helping Hands Dental Clinic. The team of five dentists, support staff and 25 (second, third and forth-year) dental students from VCU/MCV Dental School, The Medical University of South Carolina, Howard University and The University of British Columbia in Canada, served the week of July 12-July 19th. In that time the team saw over 400 patients as they preformed cleanings, fillings and extractions. The team also distributed dental supplies and medicine to patients. The clinic is staffed entirely by volunteers and is only open the 4-5 weeks a year that teams are in the country.
For many people in the area, the clinic is their only access to dental care.
St. Kateri Run for the Son 5k
In December, the Office sponsored, and Drs Wendell and Blaney ran in the St. Kateri Run for the Son 5k to benefit relief work in Haiti. Way to go guys!
Jamaica Mission 2013
In July, Dr. Lachine and his son Connor, a freshman at Hampden-Sydney College spent a week serving in a remote dental clinic in the Parish of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. The team of five dentists, 20 (second, third and forth-year) dental students from VCU/MCV Dental School and Medical University of South Carolina and five support staff treated over 450 patients, placed over 100 fillings and extracted more than 500 teeth.
Most of the team, assembled in front of the clinic before starting to see patients. Most of the over 100 patients waiting in the heat
each day, had to walk miles (and some, several hours) to get to the clinic.
One of our last images and most memorable image of the week, spotted as our bus headed back over the mountains to the airport.
Boys brushing their teeth in a wash basin in the front yard of their home. Now that's dedication!