Press & Media

Policymakers in Olympia confronting the financial damage caused by COVID-19 have some difficult decisions to make…Yet, it would be a huge mistake to cut essential health care safety net programs for people who are the most vulnerable and are already experiencing health inequities.

Call it Spokane Mouth: More than 60% of third-graders had a cavity in a 2015, and nearly 1 in 6 had rampant tooth decay in seven or more teeth, according to the Spokane Regional Health District.

Thirty-four health centers are opening at King County schools in September to provide health services for students even as classes go online.

Your kids can, and in fact should, see the doctor — for well-child visits, immunizations and any concerns you might have.

At the end of this month, the Spokane City Council — skipping the ballot measure process — may vote to triple the amount of fluoride in Spokane’s water supply.

Let’s not repeat past mistakes by reducing access to oral health care when people need it most. Providing dental coverage is good health policy and the right thing to do.

Born out of the nation’s Civil Rights movement and launched as part of the “war on poverty,” community health centers have focused on reducing health disparities and supporting the health needs of underserved communities for over 55 years.

For children at high risk of caries, community water fluoridation should be considered as an intervention to prevent childhood caries and to decrease the prevalence of dental surgical procedures.

Eliminating dental benefits for adults using Medicaid will not solve our budget problems — and will lead to more unnecessary suffering.

Community health centers, which provide health care services to underserved and underrepresented populations, play an essential role in society.