Mobile Dental Clinic Brings Malimali to South Auckland Tamariki

The Fono's new mobile dental service had a milestone first day, and is already booked through to February 2026! 

Our hearts are full after our brand-new Mobile Dental Clinic hit the road for its very first day at an Early Learning Centre in Manurewa at the end of May. 

Fourteen tamariki welcomed our team with big smiles and even bigger excitement – exactly the kind of energy that reminds us why this kaupapa matters so much to our communities. 

"The kids were absolutely loving it, and so were the staff," says The Fono's Dental Manager, Gillian Wilson. "You could feel the positive energy straight away. It's been such an incredible milestone for all of us." 

Our Mobile Dental Clinic is all about bringing dental care directly to where our tamariki are – focusing on Early Childhood Centres in Manurewa and Ōtara, some of our highest needs communities. Because when dental care comes to you, it's easier for whānau to access the preventive care that keeps our tamariki healthy from the start.  

The response has been overwhelming in the best possible way. We're already fully booked through to February 2026, showing just how much our communities needed this service. 

This timing couldn't be more important. A recent NZ Herald article highlighted thousands of children waiting months for dental surgery in hospitals – a heartbreaking reality we're working to change. By providing early, accessible care in familiar spaces, we're helping prevent our tamariki from needing hospital treatment down the track. 

Gillian says "That's the power of getting in early. When we can support these little ones with gentle, culturally safe care right where they are, we're not just treating teeth – we're setting them up for a lifetime of healthy smiles.” 

Our Mobile Dental Clinic team: Charlotte Haiosi (Dental Assistant), Afatia Toomata (Oral Health Promoter), Tess Osborne-Gregory (Dentist), and Olga Rukosueva-Lottermoser (Oral Health Therapist)

Our Mobile Dental Clinic is powered by an amazing team who bring both professional expertise and genuine care to every visit – from our oral health promoter and dentist to our oral health therapist and dental assistant, supported by our incredible driver and set-up crew who tackle the complex challenge of bringing a full dental clinic to life wherever our tamariki are. 

Tonga Nafetalai, driver of our Mobile Dental Clinic, bringing essential dental care directly to communities in need.

We're feeling incredibly proud of what we've achieved together. This is just the beginning – here's to many more milestones and thousands more happy, healthy smiles ahead. 

The Fono Mobile Dental Clinic operates through Early Childhood Centres in Manurewa and Ōtara, providing free dental care for tamariki aged 0-5.