Justice Assistance and CareLink Partner to Expand Access to Free Dental Services for Justice-Involved Rhode Islanders
(Cranston, RI) - Justice Assistance has partnered with CareLink to provide eligible clients and justice-involved Rhode Islanders with access to free dental services throughout the summer of 2026. JA Health & Wellness – Justice Assistance’s integrated primary care and behavioral healthcare clinic – will utilize CareLink’s mobile dentistry services to provide preventive oral healthcare, such as screenings and cleanings, for individuals who often face challenges accessing affordable care.
“Too many of the individuals we serve have gone years without consistent access to basic healthcare, including dental care,” said Jake Bissaillon, Chief Executive Officer of Justice Assistance. “At JA Health & Wellness, our goal is to address health inequity in a practical and compassionate way by bringing services directly to the people who need them most. This partnership with CareLink allows us to meet clients where they are, build trust, and connect them to care that supports their dignity, health, and long-term stability.”
Through CareLink Mobile Dentistry, licensed dental professionals provide on-site oral healthcare services designed to make care more accessible for individuals with complex health needs. Services include oral health assessments, cleanings and polishing, fluoride treatment, and other preventive supports. By hosting these services at Justice Assistance, the partnership allows eligible participants to receive dental care in a trusted, community-based setting where they are already connected to case management, behavioral healthcare, primary care, housing support, legal support, and employment services.
“CareLink’s mission has always been centered on improving access to dental care for individuals who would otherwise face significant barriers to receiving it,” said Kelley Hurley, Director of Clinical Services at CareLink. “Many of the people we serve have historically struggled to access consistent oral healthcare because of transportation challenges, financial limitations, medical complexity, or lack of available providers. Partnering with Justice Assistance allows us to bring care directly to individuals in a familiar and supportive environment, ensuring that more Rhode Islanders have access to the dental services they need and deserve.”
For Justice Assistance, the partnership reflects the broader purpose of JA Health & Wellness: addressing health inequity by bringing integrated, barrier-aware care directly to justice-involved Rhode Islanders. Oral health is closely connected to overall health, behavioral health, self-confidence, employability, and quality of life. Yet for many justice-involved individuals, routine dental care has been out of reach because of cost, lack of insurance, transportation barriers, stigma, or years of disconnection from traditional healthcare systems.
“Over the years of providing our wraparound services, requests for dental care have remained consistently high,” said Frances DaLomba, Clinical Director of JA Health & Wellness. “Our goal is to ensure our clients have what they need to thrive in their daily lives, and we do that by offering comprehensive wraparound support alongside these specialty clinics.”
Justice Assistance launched JA Health & Wellness to ensure that justice-involved Rhode Islanders can access primary care, behavioral healthcare, and supportive services in one location. The addition of free dental clinic days during the summer of 2026 builds on that model by recognizing that access to oral healthcare is not separate from successful reentry, recovery, or long-term stability. It is an essential part of helping people move forward with confidence.
The summer dental clinic days will be available by appointment to eligible Justice Assistance clients and justice-involved Rhode Islanders. Justice Assistance staff will work directly with participants to identify eligibility, schedule appointments, and provide follow-up support as needed.
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CareLink:
CareLink is a Rhode Island nonprofit healthcare network that works with providers and community partners to expand access to high-quality care. Through CareLink Mobile Dentistry, licensed dental professionals provide convenient, on-site oral healthcare services designed to improve access for individuals who may otherwise face barriers to care.
Justice Assistance:
Founded in 1978, Justice Assistance provides wraparound services for justice-involved individuals across Rhode Island, including court-based case management, reentry support, affordable housing, legal support services, and integrated behavioral and primary healthcare. Over the past several years, the organization has launched JA Health & Wellness, an integrated primary and behavioral health clinic in Cranston, and expanded its Habitat for Justice program to include more than 30 units of affordable housing. Together, these efforts reflect Justice Assistance’s mission to promote dignity, restore opportunity, and build pathways to stability for Rhode Islanders.