Our Strategic Direction

Equity in oral health matters.

*Good oral health goes beyond a healthy smile.*

Your smile does more than express joy and happiness. It reflects your overall health. Research has linked poor oral health to serious or life-threatening conditions like:

Arcora Foundation focuses on communities that face barriers to access dental care—especially in Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) communities. We center our work in equity and collaborate with partners to achieve good oral health for all. With our 2022-2024 strategic plan, we’re taking intentional steps to improve oral health outcomes for BIPOC communities.

Our shared vision with Delta Dental of Washington.

Arcora is the foundation of Delta Dental of Washington—which is our primary funder. Together, we advance oral health across Washington state. We’re the largest foundation in the state dedicated to this cause.

Arcora Foundation and Delta Dental of Washington share a vision: All people can enjoy good oral and overall health with no one left behind.

Our mission is in our name.

Arcora Foundation is on a mission to bend the arc of oral health toward equity. Our name combines arc and the first three letters of oral.

Our priorities.

Oral disease is almost entirely preventable. Arcora’s strategies focus on preventing oral disease and expanding access to dental care. Visit our Initiatives page to see a full list of our prevention and access programs and initiatives.

Circular graphic that outlines the Arcora Foundation strategic plan. The red outside layer states our vision that all people can enjoy good oral and overall health with no one left behind. The next blue layer states our mission of bending the arc of oral health towards equity. The inside of the circle is separated horizontally into two sections. The green section describes our priorities for preventing oral disease, and the yellow section describes our priorities in improving access to oral health care. At the very center of the circle, the words oral equity are large and bold.

A big picture view of oral health.

Where you live, learn, work, worship, and play affect your health. Social, economic, and environmental factors—known as social determinants of health—have a major role in determining health and health outcomes. These factors include:

Education.
Housing.
Income.
Racism.

Arcora is committed to understand how these factors intersect with oral health and impact families’ abilities to achieve good oral health.

Care that meets people where they are.

Access to care can be difficult for non-English speakers, or when providers don’t understand their patients’ cultural backgrounds. Everyone deserves quality care. To do so requires meeting people where they are. Through our initiatives, Arcora is working to understand communities’ needs to provide them with linguistically and culturally appropriate care.

We can’t do this work without you. Advancing oral health requires public and private partnerships, policy advocacy, and funding. Join us in our mission to bend the arc of oral health toward equity. Learn more and contact us at info@arcorafoundation.org.