Back-to-school dental visits, textbook swaps and JUTC rural express feature in Jamaica Magazine

Jamaica Magazine on 18 July 2026 urged parents preparing for the new school year to book children’s dental checkups, share used textbooks, and highlighted the Jamaica Urban Transit Company’s Rural Express service, plus a feature on reggae singer Richie Spice.

Dr Tanya Perry said an end-of-summer dental visit matters because long holidays disrupt routines. Children may stay overseas, in rural Jamaica, or with relatives, wake and sleep late, skip brushing and flossing, and snack and drink juices heavily in the heat—raising risks of cavities and gum disease. She noted research linking many school absences to toothache and stressed filling cavities before term, especially for pupils facing PEP, CSEC and CAPE, so learning is not interrupted. Summer, she added, is easier for appointments without clashes with school and extra lessons.

Perry said cavities top the list, followed by gum disease from plaque and bleeding gums—often in teenagers—plus dental trauma such as broken or knocked-out teeth, and less common growth or jaw-alignment problems. She advised flossing once daily from about age two, when teeth begin to touch (back molars typically erupt between 18 months and two and a half). Character or flavoured floss holders can help children build the habit. Mouthwash should not be given under age six, per American Dental Association guidance; fluoride rinses may help higher-risk children aged six to 12 if dentist-recommended, child-formulated and supervised. She described brushing all tooth surfaces, including the tongue side, with short strokes then circles, and cleaning the tongue.

The programme also asked parents islandwide not to discard gently used textbooks but to exchange them with families moving up or into higher grades, cutting costs for the new term.

On transport, JUTC said its Rural Express answers demand for longer, cheaper routes so people need not relocate to Kingston for work and so taxi and private bus gaps leave fewer stranded. Early routes followed social-media requests, including for Mandeville and Montego Bay, and feedback from University of the West Indies students in western Jamaica who struggle to visit home. Unlike shorter KMTR urban runs—about $250 with smart cards and higher cash fares depending on origin—express trips start at an introductory $2,000. Schedules are published; service standards match urban operations, with cleaned and maintained buses. A fleet of 100 new coaches offers charging ports, undercarriage luggage space, air-conditioning and more comfortable seats.

A closing profile traced Richie Spice, who calls himself a voice for the voiceless. Born in Rock Hall, St Andrew, one of 11 children and younger brother to Chaka Demus and Pliers’ Pliers and to Spanner Banner, he learned from watching his siblings. After studio rejections, Spanner Banner took him to a session where he recorded “Grooving My Girl,” which opened doors without trading on his brothers’ names. Management links later widened his international reach. He grew up on Bob Marley, Burning Spear and Gregory Isaacs via a brother’s radio-station records, writes for younger listeners, and says reggae’s roots stay in Jamaica even as others share it worldwide. His latest album, released in 2023, has 14 tracks.