On-site dental services for seniors in long-term and community care homes

October 1, 2025

Meredith Riley has always known she wanted to make dental care more accessible. After working in clinics on Prince Edward Island for years, she saw a gap, especially for seniors and people with special needs who struggle to visit a traditional dental office.

So, in 2023, she launched Island Mobile Dental Hygiene, a mobile clinic that brings preventative dental services directly to long-term care homes and community residences across the Island, and, as a recipient of the 2024–25 Health Innovation Fund, has since expanded her services to reach even more Islanders in need.

“I watched my grandmother live in long-term care for nearly two decades,” Meredith says. “I saw how hard it was for residents to get proper dental care due to accessibility struggles and I knew I wanted to help change that.”

With portable equipment and a flexible setup, Meredith can offer cleanings and oral health education in the comfort of a resident’s own room or a quiet space in their long-term care home. She also works with the residents’ advocates, usually family members, to help them support their loved one’s oral hygiene between visits.

For Meredith, oral health is deeply connected to overall well-being. She sees every visit not just as a chance to clean teeth, but as an opportunity to support a person’s comfort, confidence, and long-term health.

Through a grant from the 2024–25 Health Innovation Fund, Meredith has been able to provide extra care to those she serves. She’s also been able to double her equipment and plans to hire another hygienist soon, significantly increasing the number of appointments available to Island residents.

“About 90 percent of the people I see wouldn’t otherwise get to a dentist or hygienist,” she explains. “This work takes planning, patience, and a lot of specialized care to make each person I see feel as comfortable as possible while receiving high quality oral health care, but it’s incredibly rewarding. I get to meet people where they are and help them have the confidence and dignity that comes from being able to take care of yourself.”

Staff and families have noticed big changes. Residents are more comfortable, chewing better, and even experiencing fewer illnesses thanks to improved oral health. Meredith’s approach is helping Islanders stay healthier for longer and feel more at ease while doing so.

Head to Island Mobile Dental Hygiene for more information and visit the 2024–25 Health Innovation Fund to learn more about the fund.

NT4