2023 Community Report

The Asia Pacific Cultural Center and the Pacific Islander Health Board are engaged in innovative work focused on healthy behaviors. These organizations partnered with Arcora Foundation to address sugary beverage consumption among the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) community in Pierce County. Arcora Foundation launched a pilot with them to normalize and incentivize the consumption of non-sugary beverages in community settings and at community events. The organizations will also engage in communications efforts through print and social media. Both organizations will lead efforts to engage staff and community members to develop strategies, messaging, and tools to influence positive changes.

The pilot follows a learning journey Arcora undertook in partnership with our state’s NHPI community to learn about community strengths and opportunities related to healthy behaviors. 

Asia Pacific Cultural Center is based in Tacoma and serves Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities statewide. The Pacific Islander Health Board is based in Fife and serves Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities statewide.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Arcora Foundation to address healthy behaviors in our community. Arcora recognizes the importance of work like this to be community-driven and respectful of culture to affect change and have lasting results.”

Lika Smith, Executive Director of Pacific Islander Health Board

Find healthy behavior messaging and resources for your community.

Local advocates and city leaders involved with Spokane’s fluoridation efforts marked a milestone last year. They—along with Arcora Foundation staff—met in person to celebrate accomplishments so far. Some in the group of more than 30 people had never met; others hadn’t seen one another in person for years. Heather Wallace—Smile Spokane Local Impact Network manager—coordinated the event.

In September of 2020, Spokane’s City Council voted to move forward with the process to fluoridate during the height of the pandemic. In the summer of 2023, city leaders will receive a feasibility study and make a decision about how to proceed. Community water fluoridation is the most cost-effective and equitable way to prevent cavities in people of all ages.

2022 Statewide community water fluoridation investments from the state legislature:

• $532,000 for the Office of Drinking Water within the State Department of Health — establishes a program to support local water systems and provide outreach on community water fluoridation.
• $166,000 for the State Department of Health to conduct a statewide oral health equity assessment — recommends how to address inequities through community water fluoridation and other measures. Their report is due to legislators by June 30, 2023.

Learn more about community water fluoridation in Washington state.

“Our first in-person meeting in 2022 since the start of the pandemic was such a joy for members to reconnect. You could feel the energy and passion for community water fluoridation. We celebrated our accomplishments and were re-energized around strategies for the coming year.”

Heather Wallace, Network Manager, Smile Spokane / Senior Program Manager, Better Health Together

The Sumner Community Food Bank’s mission is to provide nutritious food with dignity to neighbors in need. The food bank recognized many customers’ needs go beyond food. That’s why the food bank partnered with the Local Impact Network (LIN) in Pierce County. This partnership helps expand access to dental care through on-site mobile clinics and DentistLink referrals and other social services, including for a growing number of Ukrainian and Russian clients. 

Arcora Foundation’s LINs unite communities, organizations, and other key stakeholders in collective problem solving to address local challenges to better health. LIN partners are inspired to create resources and influence systems that have lasting effects. Currently, LINs operate in Pierce and Spokane counties and the North Sound region. 

Learn more about the LIN model.

“It’s a blessing to partner with regional service providers to bring non-food services to our immigrant and refugee clients. We understand that their journey has them on a path to wellness and to be able to address some of their other needs has been a fulfilling experience and has expanded our role in the community.”

Anthony Apeles, Executive Director, Sumner Community Food Bank

A safe and comfortable environment makes for successful dental patient interactions. For patients who speak languages other than English or have different cultural backgrounds from their providers, it may be difficult to create this environment. Arcora Foundation launched a new course to help create a bridge between patients and providers. Care, Compassion, and Connection: Delivering Culturally Appropriate Care in the Dental Office is designed to improve health through awareness, good communication, and trust. Course participants appreciated learning more about these topics so they could better serve all their patients. We plan to host more courses for 2023.

See all trainings and courses for providers and caregivers.

“This course is a foundational resource for oral health care practitioners to share culturally appropriate principles and best practices for patient satisfaction and optimal care.”

Ginlin Woo, Founding Partner, F.A.C.E. (Facilitating Awareness and Change for Equity)

Northwest Tribes and Native-led organizations continue to lead the way in innovative, community-led solutions to improve oral and overall health.

The Swinomish Tribe and Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board launched a dəxʷxayəbus-dental therapy training program and enrolled its first class of students. This program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Arcora Foundation is proud to support and celebrate our partnership with these Native-led organizations.

We’re also proud to continue to partner with the Northwest Tribal Dental Support Center (NTDSC) to support Northwest Tribal and Urban Indian dental programs. We worked together with 7 tribes to implement We Smile: Minimally Invasive Dentistry (MID) style. This is an oral health quality improvement collaborative for American Indian/ Alaska Native people that uses minimally invasive, maximally effective clinical practices—no shots, no drills—and other strategies.

“In We Smile, everyone teaches, and everyone learns. We are delivering high quality dental care that our communities want and need.”

Anna DeGraffenried, Coeur D’Alene Tribal Member and Dental Therapist at Colville’s Lake Roosevelt Clinic

Learn more about our collaborative work with Tribal partners.

Expanded access to dental care benefits everyone, especially people with challenges to accessing care. That’s why Arcora Foundation’s DentistLink program launched the Dental Access Improvement Team (DAIT). The DAIT is a group of Apple Health (Medicaid) providers. Their shared goal is to remove barriers to dental care for Apple Health-enrolled Washingtonians. DAIT members follow a peer-to-peer recruitment model to build relationships with other dental providers to improve processes and understand needs. We now have a team of 7 providers, which is made up of 4 dentists, 2 registered dental hygienists, and a denturist. Each will serve a one-year term and work to promote Apple Health acceptance among their colleagues, with a focus on adults.

Interested in joining the DAIT peer-to-peer recruitment team? Email Carl George.

“As a longtime Medicaid provider, I’m so pleased to be a part of an effort to increase both dental provider satisfaction and community access to care with Apple Health (Medicaid).”

LaVonne Hammelman, DDS, DAIT member

Seattle Children’s Hospital opened their new Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic (OBCC) in the city’s Othello neighborhood. OBCC provides dental, medical, behavioral health, and nutrition services to young people regardless of the family’s ability to pay. A community open house celebrated the new location. Seattle Children’s chose it to be closer to the 75% of patients and families who moved farther south for more affordable housing. The original OBCC location remains in the city’s Central District. Arcora Foundation — in partnership with our funder Delta Dental of Washington (DDWA) — contributed $5 million dollars to Seattle Children’s to expand dental services in the area. To recognize our contribution and our continuing partnership with Seattle Children’s, the clinic bears DDWA’s and Arcora’s names.

Read more about dental services at the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic.

An 18-year-old student at Yelm High School hadn’t seen a dentist in more than 10 years. Dental pain affected his quality of life, which included his studies. He didn’t have dental insurance. Even if he did, he didn’t have transportation to get to appointments. Christine Ronquillo, Yelm High School community outreach specialist, made sure this student got scheduled for an appointment when the SmileMobile rolled into town. “He had a wonderful and safe experience with the SmileMobile team and was given a referral for a local area clinic within walking distance from the school,” Ronquillo said. The student followed the recommended treatment plan. By the time he graduated, all his dental needs had been properly addressed. This is just one of the many successful outcomes from partnerships with school districts, health departments, churches, local community organizations, and volunteer dental professionals across Washington.

Learn more about the SmileMobile and opportunities for your community.

“Access to oral health care has disparities when it comes to reaching the communities of color. The SmileMobile came to visit the Tri-Cities in support of our health initiative, bringing access to equitable health care. The SmileMobile serves as a reminder of how many people are without adequate health care in Eastern Washington.”

Chauné Fitzgerald, CEO, Women of Wisdom Tri-Cities