Smith Island Dental Clinic Receives $15,000 Donation

Dr. Gael Delany working on a patient at the Smith Island Dental Clinic.

SMITH ISLAND, Md. -- On Friday, July 14th, $15,000 was donated to help pay volunteers at the Smith Island Dental Clinic in Rhodes Point. It is the most recent support in a four year long effort to bring quality dental care to island neighbors.

Thanks to all of the hard work, the donations and the grants that have been received since 2019, Smith Island now has a state-of-the-art dental clinic, which has been an immense help for people on the island.

Headlining that help on Friday, was the presentation of the $15,000 check from The Patterson Foundation.

"We were just volunteers, we didn't get paid or anything like that, but now because of his donations and other people's too we are able to be paid," said Connie Dize, a volunteer at the dental clinic.

The Patterson Foundation, which makes donations to oral health causes in communities like Rhodes Point, has been a key player since the beginning.

"Five years ago when Dr. Delany called me and said 'I need a chair', I said 'alright let's find you a chair', so we found a chair and then it's lead to a bunch of other things that we have now," said James Ryan.

Ryan works for the Patterson Foundation and was in Rhodes Point on Friday to present to several thousand dollar check.

What is has lead to, with the help of several other organizations, is a new operating microscope, and a new autoclave to sterilize equipment and brand new cabinets to house that equipment. Gael Delany, one of the endodontists who has been helping island neighbors for the past few years, said the difference is night and day.

"Before we started I would say the primitive care was delivered, by that I mean extractions and maybe some fillings," said Gael Delany. "But since we've come to the island I think things have changes dramatically."

Who it helps is people like Mark Hitchings, a watermen who, especially during the summer, doesn't want to trade a day of work for a trip to a dentists office on the mainland.

"I can go and work, do my full days work and come in and have an appointment in the afternoon," said Kitchings.

It also can save island neighbors time and money.

"You have to pay a fare, when you go over on the mainland you've got a car over there you've got to put gas in car, you've got to eat and all that," said Dize. "When you can just get in a car here or walk out your door and you're at the dentist office within five to 10 minutes."

Dr. Delany is training dental students on Smith Island, so even when he is done working neighbors will still have access to the care they need. Delany also said they have laid the groundwork for the facility to be self sustainable for the future, and as long as Smith Island is here, the dental clinic will be too.