Dr. Brian Holmes DMD FAGD, Florence dentist, founding member of the student dental care program, and founder and president of Spice Isle Smiles has been in the business of reducing decay in children for many years. In 2001, Dr. Holmes started a dental outreach program for two schools in Florence and Mapleton, where he performed dental screenings and provided oral hygiene instructions; however, these screenings did not decrease the level of decay. For this community, there was an 89% rate of decay. After realizing that more needed to be done, he partnered with Medical Teams International and local service organizations in order to use a mobile dental van. With the van, Dr. Holmes’ team could provide dental restorations, extractions, and sealants. Within nine years of using the mobile clinic, the decay rate dropped to 10% in the participating schools.
Dr. Holmes became the first western trained dentist to work with The Tandana Foundation to provide dental care in rural villages in Ecuador. In 2012, He started a program in Ecuador utilizing the same methods used by his local mobile clinic in order to provide dental care, train volunteers and Ecuadorian dentists. There was 60% decrease in decay rate over a period of five years for students in this program who were treated annually.
Dr. Holmes’ experience with the Tandana Foundation inspired him to start Spice Isles Smiles to provide portable dental clinics for three elementary schools in Grenada starting in 2017. After three years of service of providing annual portable dental clinics with his team and local volunteers, the decay prevalence decreased by 42%. In July 2020, Spice Isle Smiles became an official nonprofit organization. In 2022, Spice Isle Smiles will be adding one more school to their program. Dr. Holmes is the co-author of the children’s book Sixto the Smiling Starfish. A large portion of the proceeds are donated to Spice Isle Smiles.
Dr. Holmes started his Florence dental practice in 2000 after selling his Idaho practice. He had previously worked for a corporate dental practice in Grants Pass and as an associate dentist in Gladstone, Oregon. He was eager to return to Oregon after cold winters in Idaho. Dr. Justin Linton DDS joined Florence Dental Clinic after graduating from University of Maryland’s Dental School in 2008 and is now a full partner in the practice. Dr. Travis Alcorn DDS joined as an associate dentist in 2020.
Part of the clinic’s culture includes community service and volunteerism. Dr. Linton is very involved with the Siuslaw Youth Soccer Program, coaching and serving on its board. Both Dr. Alcorn and Dr. Linton are part of the Kiwanis Club of Florence. Dr. Holmes is a member of The Florence Rotary. In 2014, The Oregon Bankers Association honored Florence Dental Clinic with the Community Applause Award. In 2019, Dr. Holmes was awarded Florence’s First Citizen Award but was unable to attend the ceremony because he was providing dental care in Grenada.
Florence Dental Clinic built its new building in 2009 and in 2010 was awarded Outstanding Achievement Design Efficiency in the Dental Office Design Competition. This award recognition was sponsored by Wells Fargo Practice Finance, Dental Ergonomics, ADA Business Resources, and the American Dental Association.
When asking Dr. Holmes how other dentists could start giving back to their community, he says, “Find what you are passionate about and do it!” When Dr. Linton arrived in Florence, he found out that there was not a high school soccer team and through the Boys and Girls Club started a youth soccer program. Now because of these efforts, there is a high school soccer team and the team is now in its second year of having a high school varsity program. Dr. Linton was able to referee the first high school varsity soccer game.
View full May/June 2022 Newsletter
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