For the past three years, the Seattle Center Foundation and thousands of compassionate volunteers have transformed KeyArena into the Seattle/King County Clinic: a massive popup clinic, providing dental, medical and vision care for thousands of people in need of treatment.
Oral health care has been the most requested service at the four-day clinics, with people traveling throughout the state and lining up for hours to receive care they might not otherwise receive.
Many of the Clinic’s oral health patients have Apple Health coverage, our state’s Medicaid program, but are left with few options due in large part to limited dental care access. In fact, 77 percent of adults with Apple Health coverage did not receive dental care in 2015.
Please urge Olympia lawmakers to support efforts to expand dental care access for those who need it most. Smart investments in dental care, including the Oral Health Connections pilot program, have the potential to improve oral and overall health.
To learn more about the dental access issue, please check out our short film from the 2015 Seattle/King County Clinic.
Oral Health Watch
16 hours ago
Oral health care access can shape economic opportunity and stability. When people cannot get the preventive and restorative dental care they need, the consequences can affect confidence, employment, financial security, and how others perceive you. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
2 days ago
Good oral health starts early, and Washington’s Access to Baby & Child Dentistry (ABCD) program connects income-eligible families with providers trained to care for young kids, helping set children on a lifelong path to better oral health.
#teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
2 days ago
The best way to fight cavities is to stop them before they start. Brush. Floss. Drink fluoridated water. Skip sugary drinks. Preventing decay is easier, less painful, and far less costly than treating oral disease later. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
4 days ago
Nearly 45% of parents say they have missed work because of their child’s oral health problems. Good oral health supports healthier kids, stronger families, and greater stability at work and at home. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
5 days ago
Prevention is public health in action. Communities with access to fluoridated water experience reduced oral disease, less mouth pain, and lower overall oral health care lower costs. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
1 weeks ago
Prevention works. Community water fluoridation and regular dental checkups are smart public health investments that help stop problems before they start, reduce costly treatment, and spare people from needless pain. When we invest in prevention, we build healthier communities and better outcomes ...for everyone. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
1 weeks ago
Where you live should not determine whether you can get dental care. Let's explore innovative approaches and support investments that expand access, strengthen the oral health workforce, and help ensure everyone can get care regardless of ZIP code. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
1 weeks ago
Prevention works. Water fluoridation has helped lower cavity rates among children and contributed to better oral health over a lifetime, including less tooth loss in adulthood. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
1 weeks ago
State oral health investments are a high-impact policy that improves overall population health and saves money long-term by:
🦷 Supporting access to preventive care
🚑 Reducing costly emergency room visits
💚 Addressing health inequities
#teethmatter