The new Sovereign Dental location at Arthur Street Market Place features two attached locations totalling 10,800 square feet. Of that 4800 square feet is used for adult dentistry and the rest is dedicated to pediatric dentistry with Dr. Martesia Marshall.

Dr. Derval Clarke says the introduction of a national dental care program is long overdue and should improve the dental health of millions of Canadians.

Sovereign Dental, a dentist office with locations in Thunder Bay and Nipigon, has supported the campaign for the past three years and supplied the bright red gift bags for the project.

Following a two-year hiatus due to COVID concerns, the Jamaica Dental Mission has restarted. This past month, the team from Sovereign Dental in Thunder Bay volunteered at the site in Kew Park, which is a rural town in the Parish of Westmoreland, Jamaica.

A local dental office plans to give away $1,000 a month for 10 months to an individual or family in need, or an organization that has been supporting the community during the pandemic.

Dentist Derval Clarke, who has travelled to Jamaica and northern First Nations to provide dental services to those in need, won a NOVA in the business and professional achievement category.

Every year for the past five years, dentist Derval Clarke has travelled from Thunder Bay to his home country of Jamaica to volunteer his services. But this year, he instead visited Wunnumin Lake First Nation, a remote fly-in community 360 kilometres northeast of Sioux Lookout.

Dr. Derval Clarke has been practicing dentistry for more than five years, and while he prides himself on helping make people smile a little brighter, he can’t help but smile himself when he is helping those who may not have regular access to dental care.

As far as he can remember, U of T Scarborough alum, Dr. Derval Clarke always wanted to help people. “Helping people is just part of me,” he says. “Whatever career I chose, it would have been one that helps people.”