Free clinic to provide dental, medical and vision services
SEATTLE – People who struggle to access dental services can get the care they need for free. The 2023 Seattle/King County Clinic (SKCC) will be at Seattle Center April 27–30. Arcora Foundation’s SmileMobile—a mobile dental clinic that traditionally serves Apple Health (Medicaid)-insured and uninsured children and expectant/postpartum people throughout the state—will participate.
The traveling state-of-the-art dental clinic will join health care organizations, agencies, nonprofit foundations, private businesses and thousands of caring volunteers during the four-day event to provide free health care. Historically, dental care is the most requested service due in large part to barriers far too many Washington residents experience like cost or no dental coverage. SKCC dental services include cleanings, X-rays, fillings, extractions and root canals.
“Good oral health is essential for good overall health,” said Vanetta Abdellatif, Arcora Foundation president and CEO. “While the Seattle/King County Clinic provides much-needed dental care and other services, we must do more to ensure everyone can access care when and where they need it throughout the Puget Sound region and beyond.”
SKCC is a massive, volunteer-driven, pop-up clinic providing free services for anyone facing barriers to accessing health care. This will be the first time SKCC is offering dental, medical and vision care services since the start of the pandemic. In February 2020, 4,622 volunteers provided more than $3 million in direct health care services for 3,393 people. That included 1,754 people who received nearly $1.3 million in dental care services. In addition to the SmileMobile. SKCC social workers also will direct patients to DentistLink—a no-cost referral service for people with Apple Health (Medicaid) or no insurance fully funded by Arcora and the Washington State Health Care Authority.
Gum disease and untreated cavities are linked to pregnancy complications, affect heart health as well as impact diabetes management and other systemic diseases. Visible decay and tooth loss also can impede employment possibilities, school attendance, nutrition, sleep patterns, self-esteem and how others perceive you.
SKCC runs Thursday through Sunday. Admission is free. The first come, first served tickets are available beginning at 5:30 a.m. each morning inside Fisher Pavilion on Seattle Center campus. Patients are encouraged to come prepared for a long day with comfortable clothing, food, water and any daily medications. Learn more at https://seattlecenter.org/patients/.
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About Arcora Foundation
Arcora Foundation advances oral health across Washington state. We are the foundation of Delta Dental of Washington, and the state’s largest foundation dedicated to this cause. We lead with equity in our work to achieve good oral health for all. Through partnerships, we focus our prevention and access priorities on racial and ethnic communities—specifically Black, Indigenous, and People of Color—where disparities in oral disease and access to care are significant. Our mission is in our name: bending the arc of oral health toward equity. Learn more at ArcoraFoundation.org.
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