The Health Services for Community Living Dental Hygienist Team earned an Innovator Award for launching Canada’s first community-based service using Silver Diamine Fluoride to stop tooth decay in clients with developmental disabilities. This groundbreaking initiative is transforming lives and setting a new national standard in inclusive oral health care.
Photo (from left to right): Dental Hygienists Marilyn Blondahl, Beth Inkster and Nishi Lal-Birdi
Meet Nishi Lal-Birdi, Beth Inkster and Marilyn Blondahl, the dental hygienists who form the Health Services for Community Living Dental Hygienist Team.
This dynamic trio is full of ideas and compassion. They work to champion change to improve the experiences and health outcomes for clients with developmental disabilities.
“We’re here because we are really passionate about serving the community,” Nishi says.
In their line of work, they go to various community living settings, including group homes and home shares, to provide dental hygiene care to adults living with developmental disabilities. They see firsthand the difficulties their clients face.
For many clients with developmental disabilities, accessing dental care is a daunting challenge.
“Our clients often have all of their work done in a hospital setting under general anesthetic – that wait list is over a year,” Beth says.
When it comes to preventing tooth decay, time is of the essence.
“It could mean keeping a tooth or losing a tooth,” Beth explains.
Nishi adds, “There is such a barrier to access care with our clients. Offices not having wheelchair accessibility, the bright lights, the noises, the drill — there’s so much that could be a barrier to care.”
These challenges motivated them to help shape a different reality for their clients.
Learn more about this team's inspiring work:
Shelley Samchuk, their team leader, is particularly proud of their innovative thinking and ability to see beyond what is to envision what could be.
“There’s a known gap in oral health care,” Shelley says. “The team identified it and they said, ‘We can do something about it.’”
To ignite the vision for the future, they asked a simple but powerful question: How can we stop tooth decay before it gets worse?
Their answer: Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) — a non-invasive, cost-effective treatment that halts tooth decay and prevents further complications.
“It’s basically a varnish that has silver and fluoride in it,” explains Nishi.
“The silver is an antimicrobial, so it actually kills the bacteria that causes decay, and the fluoride is a mineral that re-mineralizes and strengthens the tooth,” Marilyn adds.
The prospects of using this in practice was exciting for the team – a solution that could be tailored perfectly for their clients’ needs.
“It’s basically just dipping a brush in the varnish and applying it on the tooth,” shares Nishi.
The comfort of their patients and improving oral health is always top of their minds.
The team collaborated with a research group at the University of British Columbia to develop a comprehensive protocol and eligibility framework, ensuring the procedure was grounded in science and safety.
No other health authority in the country has implemented this treatment for this population in the community.
“They are the first in Canada to initiate this for a population who desperately needs it,” says Shelley.
In fact, other health authorities have reached out to the team to learn their protocol.
The impact is profound: Clients receive treatment in the comfort and privacy of their homes, avoiding the stress of clinical settings.
“It doesn’t involve needles or drilling, and it’s very effective,” says Marilyn.
While Beth adds that “it’s not just about oral health it's about overall quality of life.”
The team is humble about their accomplishments and believe the award is simply about doing what you love.
“It’s a great honour to be recognized,” Marilyn says.
Clinical Operations Manager Sonja Vance praises the team’s innovative work and dedication: “The team has been incredibly proactive in identifying a clinical issue that results in the need for invasive treatments and poor health outcomes. Their passion and enthusiasm are contagious and they’re proud to be leaders in Canada introducing this treatment and seeing immediate benefits to clients.”
Congratulations to the Health Services for Community Living Dental Hygienist Team – recipient of an Innovator Award.