Dental Hygienist

Susanna Mosli believes good dental health starts at home.

The enterprising Barrie woman, a registered dental hygienist, has launched a mobile business called Sparkling Smiles.

Originally from Switzerland and trained as a technical draftsperson, Mosli came to Canada when pregnant with her first child. She stayed home for nine years raising her three children before deciding to embark on what had been a dream of hers.“It was an ambition when I was 18, but I would have had to travel into a big city to be trained as a hygienist.”

Ironically, 20 years later, Mosli commuted to Toronto five days a week, for three-and-a-half years, to become certified as a hygienist.“I’ve always loved teeth. It fascinates me,” she says.

Sparkling Smiles was launched in February.“It’s been an awesome ride – people really appreciate the service.”

One pair of her clients is an older couple. The woman has had a hip replacement and the man has Alzheimer’s. Their daughter previously had to book off work to take them into the dentist. Now, Mosli can go to the couple’s home and perform cleanings. It avoids having them travel and means the couple’s daughter doesn’t lose time from work.

Another client is a home-based hairdresser who has Mosli come in to clean her teeth, check her kids’ teeth, and even her husband’s when he comes home from the office. “We let people stay in their comfort zone,” she says.

Mosli’s services are covered by most dental insurance plans.

“The Ontario Dental Hygienists Association has a fee schedule accepted by insurance companies,” she says. “They are about 20 per cent lower than the dentist fee schedule.”

She also offers special family prices that are helpful to those without dental insurance.“If you have 80-per-cent coverage, I will waive the 20-per-cent charge,” Mosli says.

Setting up her mobile operation cost just under $20,000 for equipment and supplies.

“I’m out networking all the time and I have some regular clients I’m seeing. I know the concept works and I love doing it.”Mosli has also volunteered her time at Youth Haven and the Women and Children’s Crisis Centre. She will take her mobile office afield, too. She travels to Innisfil, Orillia and even has gone as far as Wasaga Beach to treat a family.

“It breaks my heart to see people, especially children, with poor dental health. I’m good with kids. I make them feel comfortable.” And she will steer people to a dentist when they require more detailed work.

“We are truly into preventative care,” she says. “If everyone brushed, flossed and stopped smoking, we would talk ourselves out of a job!”
For more information on Sparkling Smiles, call 705-321-2723.(source)