Arcora President and CEO Vanetta Abdellatif reflected on the Foundation’s work in 2024 to change systems. Watch Vanetta’s reflections on Arcora’s work.

Partnerships and community engagement are crucial for success. For sustainability, strong ties and shared goals must exist. To illustrate her point, she shared about our work with Pacific Islanders on a social media campaign to reduce sugary beverage consumption (community engagement) and the expansion of our DentistLink public-private partnership with Washington Health Care Authority to now include Project Access Northwest (partnership).

Carol Allen

Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) Program Manager, Retired
Public Health – Seattle & King County

Carol retired after 25 years at Public Health – Seattle & King County. For nearly 20 of those years at the health department, she managed King County’s ABCD Program. Access to Baby and Child Dentistry, or ABCD, is a public-private partnership of Arcora, Washington State Health Care Authority, the UW School of Dentistry, the Washington State Dental Association, providers, and others that connects young children to dental care in their communities and demonstrates why the sustainability of innovations matter. Watch Carol’s Oral Health Hero Award acceptance speech. Under Carol’s leadership, the program grew from 56 to more than 200 certified participating ABCD dentists across King County. Thanks to Carol, King County’s ABCD Program boasts a strong network of ABCD Champions and community partners who help guide the program and provide quality dental care to Apple Health (Medicaid) insured children.

Healthy Lynden Smiles

For 65 years, Lynden has been providing the oral health benefits of community water fluoridation to its residents. When the threat of a rollback first surfaced in early 2023, a group of local fluoridation advocates sprang into action and Healthy Lynden Smiles was born. Two key members—Jonathan Henry, Associate Dental Director at UnityCare NW, and Lynnette Ondeck, a nurse who’s a leader in the School Nurse Association of Washington and school nurse corps administrator with the Northwest Educational Service District 189, and a longtime oral health champion—were at every community and council meeting. Watch Jonathan’s and Lynnette’s Oral Health Hero Award acceptance speeches. Healthy Lynden Smiles recruited fellow supporters to share their names on their website, sent letters to the city council, and provided public testimony. As a result of their efforts, the mayor vetoed a council vote to end fluoridation in July of 2024. While fluoridation in Lynden faces renewed opposition, Healthy Lynden Smiles remains a strong voice in support of this cost-effective and equitable way to prevent tooth decay for people of all ages and backgrounds.