Meeting patients where they are

By Rachel P. Farrell | Published December 2025 

From afar, the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas looks idyllic, with its sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, and scores of tropical fish. Up close, it is a place where residents struggle with access to basic healthcare. There are no dentists on the island, leaving patients of all ages to cope with acute and chronic dental problems on their own.

In October 2025, a small group of dental students from Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) flew to Eleuthera for one week to provide dental screenings and basic dental care to pediatric patients. Under the supervision of Dr. Michelle Henshaw, associate dean of global and population health, the students visited preschools and elementary schools to provide children with treatments such as fluoride, sealants, silver diamine fluoride (to arrest decay), and SMART fillings. They also cared for pediatric patients in a foundation-run clinic, providing normal fillings, extractions, and other dental treatments.

“Because they don’t have dentists on the island, very young patients need help laying the foundation for healthy teeth—it’s key to preventing future dental complications,” says Hallie A. Feldman (SMD’27), one of the students on the trip. “While some preschool children presented with severely decayed primary dentition, the fifth and sixth grade students—who had received fluoride treatment years earlier—had very few cavities, demonstrating the direct impact of this mission.”

For 10 years, GSDM has taken dental students to Eleuthera on an annual or biannual basis as part of its International Elective Internship Program, which organizes mission trips to underserved areas around the world, including in Haiti, Jamaica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. Although student interest in the program has grown year-over-year, only about 25% of students apply for it, in part because of the expenses involved. Students are responsible for covering a portion of their travel costs.

Last year, a crowdfunding effort was set up to help offset some of those costs. In total, the campaign raised $14,253 from 48 donors, and those funds were used to cover students’ flights, lodging, and/or trip fees. GSDM also has a small amount of funding available through the International Programs Student Travel Fund, which Henshaw established in 2018. Along with the mission trips, the fund benefits GSDM’s International Elective Exchange Program, which exposes students to dentistry practices in countries such as China, Japan, or Thailand.

GSDM hopes to take students back to Eleuthera in the spring to provide continuation of care. One of the students from the October trip, Grace Marquedant (SMD’27), would like to return if she can find the means. “I didn’t expect to be so moved by the experience,” she says. “But I was so grateful to be there, and I know the kids in the community were really grateful for us to be there, too.”

Feldman feels the same way. “I’d love to go back,” she says. “But having the financial support [from donors] to do that would help a lot, especially there—donations go a long way. So, it’s very appreciated and very important.”

These mission trips aren’t just valuable to the communities they serve, adds Henshaw. “Honestly, I think it benefits us all as a society. Because the students do come back changed. They are more empathetic. They’re more understanding. They are more thoughtful with their patients and can better understand the challenges they’re facing. So, not only does it change the student, but it is really part of changing the whole healthcare delivery system.”

Editor’s note: To support future mission trips for GSDM students, please give to the International Programs Student Travel Fund.