As western Jamaica rebuilds after Hurricane Melissa, one New York– and Jamaica-based dental and surgical practice — Emirates Facial & Dental Implant Center (EFDIC), led by board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Dwight Williams — is stepping forward in a major way to help. EFDIC will host a three-day medical and dental mission in Little London, Westmoreland, from December 17–20, 2025.
The mission, supported by multiple international and local partners, will provide a comprehensive slate of services, including dental care, diabetes screening, wound care, mental-health first aid, child therapy sessions, and patient education on hypertension and diabetes.
Emirates Facial & Dental Implant Center Chief Financial Officer Morvia Reid Williams, who conceptualized the mission, said the initiative is rooted in empathy and a deep desire to help Jamaicans in western Jamaica who are rebuilding their lives after Hurricane Melissa.
“Dr. Williams and I felt compelled to lend support to Little London and nearby communities,” Reid Williams said. “We empathized with those impacted by this devastation. We want them to know that we see them, we hear them, and we are ready to help.”
She added that the mission strikes a deeply personal chord.
“Little London is Dr. Williams’ childhood home,” Reid Williams emphasized. “Through family and friends, we learned what people are facing — lack of food, limited access to health care, and an urgent need for mental-health aid.”
Reid Williams said she and her husband are no strangers to service and philanthropy.
“For 12 years, we have coordinated dental missions through the United Mission of Goodwill,” she said. “We are very familiar with the challenges Jamaicans face in accessing medical and dental care.”
The mission will be strengthened by a broad coalition of volunteer partners.
“This mission is made possible by the generosity of Emirates Facial & Dental Implant Center,” she said. “But we have also received considerable support from family and friends in the U.S. and Jamaica.”
The medical team traveling to Jamaica will be led by Dr. Leesa Schaaffee of the Giving JA organization, while emergency dental care will be headed by Dr. Jodiann Manderson and the EFDIC team.
“Both Dr. Schaaffee’s and Dr. Manderson’s teams have been actively on the ground since the hurricane,” she continued. “They are volunteering their services with such dedication.”
Several local and U.S.-based organizations have committed to the mission, including United Mission of Goodwill, Caribbean Girls Dream of Hope, Walker Contractor, JamPsych, and the Ministry of Health and Wellness. A large contingent of volunteers will fly in from New York carrying essential supplies for those in need. Beyond the logistics, Reid Williams said the heart of the mission is emotional recovery.
“We recognize the severe emotional and psychological trauma Hurricane Melissa has caused,” she said. “From the elderly to the children, their entire well-being is at risk. Their loss has been tremendous.”
As Jamaica rebuilds, she said, the commitment remains unwavering.
“Our mission is made up of many willing hands and hearts,” she said. “One Love. One Heart. One Jamaica.”
