Tag: News Release

El servicio gratuito de remisión dental amplía las opciones de atención y aborda las disparidades en salud

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Una nueva asociación ayuda a los residentes de bajo ingreso de Washington a acceder a atención dental esencial y a atención integral.

SEATTLE: Los residentes de Washington de bajo ingreso o sin seguro que necesitan atención dental ahora tienen más opciones. DentistLink, un servicio gratuito de remisión dental en Washington para personas con Apple Health (Medicaid) o que no tienen seguro, se asoció con Project Access Northwest para ofrecer atención dental y de otro tipo a cada vez más personas. Project Access Northwest es una organización sin fines de lucro que conecta a las personas de bajo ingreso con los servicios esenciales de atención médica.

Cuando llame o envíe un mensaje a DentistLink para obtener una remisión, se comunicará con un equipo que tiene amplia experiencia en conectar a las personas con los servicios que necesitan. Además de atención dental, también encontrará un sistema más completo de asistencia, que incluye lo siguiente:

  • Atención médica y de salud conductual.
  • Recursos para acceder a transporte para trasladarse a las citas.
  • Servicios de interpretación telefónica.

DentistLink, una asociación público-privada financiada completamente por Arcora Foundation y la Autoridad del Cuidado de la Salud (Health Care Authority, HCA) del estado de Washington, se asoció con Project Access Northwest para ofrecer una variedad más amplia de opciones de remisión.

“Nuestra emocionante y nueva asociación con Project Access Northwest hace que DentistLink crezca como una herramienta esencial para abordar las necesidades únicas de nuestras poblaciones prioritarias en todo el estado”, dijo Vanetta Abdellatif, presidenta y directora ejecutiva de Arcora. “Project Access Northwest aporta conocimientos y experiencia en comunidades de todo el estado que han sido desatendidas, como las comunidades negras, indígenas y de personas de color, lo que nos permite avanzar hacia nuestro objetivo de acceso equitativo a servicios de salud bucal y general para todas las personas”.

En todo el estado de Washington, las disparidades en salud bucal persisten principalmente por la raza o etnicidad, el idioma hablado en el hogar, la geografía y los ingresos. La disparidad en salud son las diferencias específicas en los resultados de salud y la atención médica entre grupos poblacionales que están arraigadas en las desventajas sociales, económicas y ambientales. En 2023, por ejemplo, el 61 % de las personas adultas de bajo ingreso de Washington (que ganan menos de $50,000 al año) no visitaron a un dentista.

“Durante casi 20 años, Project Access Northwest trabajó para abordar las necesidades no satisfechas de las personas que enfrentan barreras para acceder a la atención”, dijo Gary Renville, presidente y director ejecutivo de Project Access Northwest. “La asociación de Arcora y HCA en DentistLink es una continuación de esa misión de conectar de manera efectiva y empática a más personas con la atención cuando, donde y como la necesitan”.

La demanda de DentistLink sigue en crecimiento. En 2018, el servicio obtuvo 12,000 solicitudes de usuarios. En 2023, ese número aumentó a más de 65,000. Para 2024, DentistLink está en camino de alcanzar más de 76,000 solicitudes de usuarios, con más de 38,000 en los primeros 6 meses del año.

“Agradezco mucho a la persona que me dio su número. Pude concertar una cita con [un proveedor]”, dijo un nuevo usuario de DentistLink. No mencionamos su nombre para proteger su privacidad.

“No lograba nada por mi cuenta. Gracias por su servicio”.

“Project Access Northwest es el socio ideal para posicionar a DentistLink, y satisfacer las necesidades actuales y futuras”, dijo la Directora Dental de HCA, Sarah Vander Beek. “Este equipo experimentado tiene una trayectoria exitosa conectando a los pacientes con la atención y ofreciendo el apoyo personalizado necesario para asegurarse de que asistan a sus citas”.

No hubo ningún cambio en la forma en que se accede a DentistLink. Tiene 3 opciones:

  • Teléfono para llamadas o mensajes de texto: 844-888-5465, de lunes a viernes, de 9 a.m. a 5 p.m.
  • Búsqueda en línea: Busque atención dental cerca de usted en cualquier momento.
  • Formulario en línea: Responda algunas preguntas y lo conectaremos con el servicio.

Acerca de la Fundación Arcora

La Fundación Arcora promueve la salud bucal y la equidad en todo el estado de Washington. Somos la base
de Delta Dental of Washington y la fundación más grande del estado dedicada a esta causa. Lideramos con equidad nuestro trabajo para lograr una buena salud bucal para todos. A través de asociaciones, centramos nuestras
prioridades de prevención y acceso en las comunidades raciales y étnicas, específicamente las comunidades negras, indígenas y de color, donde son significativas las disparidades en las enfermedades bucales y el acceso a la
atención. Nuestra misión está en nuestro nombre: trazar un arco de la salud oral hacia la equidad.

Acerca de la Autoridad de Cuidado de la Salud del Estado de Washington

La Autoridad de Cuidado de la Salud del Estado de Washington (HCA), el mayor comprador de atención médica del estado y su autoridad en salud conductual, es líder en garantizar que los residentes de Washington tengan la oportunidad de tener la mejor salud posible.

Estos son los pilares de nuestro trabajo: Apple Health (Medicaid); los programas de la Junta de Beneficios par Empleados Públicos (Public Employees Benefits Board, PEBB) y de la Junta de Beneficios para Empleados Escolares (School Employees Benefits Board, SEBB); y la salud y rehabilitación conductual. Al trabajar con estos pilares, la HCA compra atención médica, que incluye tratamiento de salud conductual para más de 2700 millones de residentes de Washington, y ofrece prevención en salud conductual, atención de situaciones de crisis y apoyos para la rehabilitación a todos los residentes de Washington.

Acerca de Project Access Northwest

Project Access Northwest, una organización sin fines de lucro 501(c)(3) de renombre, fundada en 2006, conecta a personas vulnerables y sin seguro en el estado de Washington con acceso a una amplia gama de atención médica especializada, que incluye servicios dentales y de salud conductual. A través de una red de casi 2,500 proveedores de atención médica voluntarios y sistemas hospitalarios regionales, la organización facilitó más de 65,000 citas individuales. Con el apoyo de coordinadores de atención, el 97 % de los clientes asisten a sus citas programadas.

El programa innovador de Project Access Northwest mejora el acceso a la atención médica, aborda los factores sociales críticos que afectan la salud a través de servicios integrales, empodera a las personas para alcanzar sus objetivos de salud, contribuye al desarrollo de la fuerza laboral y le hace ahorrar millones de dólares anualmente al sistema de atención médica.

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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.

Free dental referral service expands care options, addresses health disparities

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New partnership helps Washington state residents who are low income access critical oral health and whole person care.

SEATTLE—Washington state residents who are low income or uninsured and need dental care now have more options. DentistLink—a free dental referral service in Washington state for people with Apple Health (Medicaid) or no insurance—has teamed up with Project Access Northwest to provide a growing number of people dental care and more. Project Access Northwest is a nonprofit that connects people who are low income to essential health care services.

When you call or text DentistLink for referrals, you will reach a team with deep experience connecting people to the care they need. In addition to dental care, you’ll now find a more comprehensive system of support including:

  • Medical and behavioral health care.
  • Resources to help access transportation to and from appointments.
  • Telephone interpretation services.

DentistLink—a private-public partnership Arcora Foundation and Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) fully fund—has collaborated with Project Access Northwest to provide expanded referral options.

“Our exciting, new partnership with Project Access Northwest elevates DentistLink as an essential tool to address the unique needs of our priority populations across the state,” said Arcora President and CEO Vanetta Abdellatif. “Project Access Northwest brings knowledge of and experience with communities statewide that have been underinvested in—like Black, Indigenous, and People of Color—which advances our goal of equitable access to oral and overall health services for everyone.”

Across Washington state, oral health disparities persist mostly by race or ethnicity, language spoken at home, geography, and income. Health disparities are specific differences in health outcomes and health care across population groups rooted in social, economic, and environmental disadvantages. In 2023, for example, 61% of Washington adults who are low income—earned less than $50,000 a year—didn’t visit a dentist.

“For nearly 20 years, Project Access Northwest has worked to address the unmet needs of people who face barriers to care,” said Project Access Northwest President and CEO Gary Renville. “The partnership with Arcora and HCA on DentistLink is a continuation of that mission to effectively and compassionately connect more people to care when, where, and how they need it.”

Demand for DentistLink continues to increase. In 2018, the service had 12,000 user requests. In 2023, that number was more than 65,000. For 2024, DentistLink is on pace to reach more than 76,000 user requests with more than 38,000 requests in the first 6 months of the year.

“I am so thankful to the person who gave me your number. I was able to book an appointment with [a provider],” said a recent DentistLink user. We’re not using the person’s name to protect their privacy.

“I was getting nowhere just trying it on my own. Thank you for your service.”

“Project Access Northwest is an ideal partner to position DentistLink to meet current and future needs,” said HCA Dental Director Sarah Vander Beek. “This experienced team has a record of success connecting patients to care and offering the personalized support required to make sure they make it to their appointments.”

Nothing has changed in how you access DentistLink. You have 3 options:

  • Phone—call or text 844-888-5465 Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
  • Online search—find dental care near you any time.
  • Online form—answer a few questions, and we’ll connect you to care.

About Arcora Foundation

Arcora Foundation advances oral health and equity across Washington state. We are the foundation of Delta Dental of Washington, and the state’s largest foundation dedicated to this cause. We lead with equity in our work to achieve good oral health for all. Through partnerships, we focus our prevention and access priorities on racial and ethnic communities—specifically Black, Indigenous, and People of Color—where disparities in oral disease and access to care are significant. Our mission is in our name: bending the arc of oral health toward equity.

About Washington State Health Care Authority

There are three pillars of our work: Apple Health (Medicaid); the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) and School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) programs; and behavioral health and recovery. Under these pillars, HCA purchases health care, including behavioral health treatment for more than 2.7 million Washington residents and provides behavioral health prevention, crisis, and recovery supports to all Washington residents.

Functioning as both the state’s largest health care purchaser and its behavioral health authority, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is a leader in ensuring Washington residents have the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

About Project Access Northwest

Project Access Northwest, a trusted nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded in 2006, connects vulnerable and uninsured individuals in Washington state with access to a wide range of specialty medical care, including dental and behavioral health services. Through a network of nearly 2,500 volunteer health care providers and regional hospital systems, the organization has facilitated over 65,000 individual appointments. With the support of care coordinators, 97% of clients attend their scheduled appointments.

Project Access Northwest’s innovative program improves access to health care, addresses critical social drivers of health through wrap-around services, empowers individuals to achieve their health goals, contributes to workforce development, and saves the health care system millions of dollars annually.

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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.

Kalispel Tribe receives $130,000 Arcora Foundation grant

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Investments will help fund dental clinic expansion, address unmet needs.

Cusick, WA–Kalispel Tribal members and Pend Oreille County residents will have more options for dental care. The Kalispel Tribe received a $130,000 grant from Arcora Foundation to help expand dental capacity at their Camas Center Medical and Dental Clinic (Camas Center).

Camas Center, in Cusick, provides comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health care for all of Pend Oreille County in northeast Washington. The grant money will go toward equipment for 2 additional dental treatment areas for a total of 6. The dental clinic also will feature a quiet room for elders, children, neurodivergent patients and people who wish to wait in a calm, peaceful space before their appointments.

“The Camas Center Medical and Dental Clinic reflects the Kalispel Tribe’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of the Kalispel Tribe people and the Pend Oreille County community,” said Kalispel Tribal Council Vice Chair Curt Holmes. “Arcora Foundation’s funding and partnership mean more people can get the care they need and live healthier lives.”

Once the $15 million expansion is completed, Camas Center expects the number of dental patients they can serve to increase from 500 to 874 annually. They anticipate most of the new patients (75-80%) will be lower-income and have Apple Health (Medicaid).

“Beyond expansions to the dental clinic, this grant is a meaningful commitment to expand access to care for more people in Pend Oreille County, so no one is left behind,” said Arcora Foundation President and CEO Vanetta Abdellatif. “Arcora is proud to partner with the Kalispel Tribe to ensure more people—especially those who have been historically underinvested in—can access the care they need when, where and how they need it.” 

The Camas Center dental clinic expansion is scheduled for completion in summer 2025.

Pend Oreille County has dental professional shortages according to federal data. Tribal clinics like Camas Center provide essential oral and overall health services to address historical dental health disparities, which disproportionately persist among American Indians/Alaska Natives and lower-income households.

Rendering of expanded Camas Center dental clinic.
Rendering of expanded Camas Center dental clinic.

The capital grant to Camas Center is among 3 that Arcora Foundation awarded totaling $340,000. Quileute Health Center, another Native health center, received a $140,000 grant. The other went to One Community Health ($70,000), a community health center.

About Camas Center Medical and Dental Clinic

Located inside the Camas Center for Community Wellness, the Camas Center Medical and Dental Clinic exemplifies the Kalispel Tribe’s commitment to the health and well-being of the people of Pend Oreille County. The Clinic provides comprehensive health care for both tribal and non-tribal community members, offering the highest level of medical, dental, behavioral health and chiropractic care.

About Arcora Foundation

Arcora Foundation advances oral health across Washington state. We are the foundation of Delta Dental of Washington, and the state’s largest foundation dedicated to this cause. We lead with equity in our work to achieve good oral health for all. Through partnerships, we focus our prevention and access priorities on racial and ethnic communities—specifically Black, Indigenous, and People of Color—where disparities in oral disease and access to care are significant. Our mission is in our name: bending the arc of oral health toward equity. Learn more at ArcoraFoundation.org.

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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.

Quileute Tribal Health Center announces $140,000 grant from Arcora Foundation

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Expands dental access for American Indians/Alaska Natives in rural Olympic Peninsula.

La Push, WA–American Indians/Alaska Natives and children from lower-income families on the Olympic Peninsula will have more options for dental care. The Quileute Tribal Council received a $140,000 grant from Arcora Foundation to update dental capacity at their health center.

Quileute Health Center (QHC) will use the funds to replace decades old equipment, including 3 dental treatment areas and a sterilization station. Currently, just 2 of the 3 areas are operational, limiting the clinic’s ability to treat patients. The new equipment will allow the QHC dental clinic to serve an additional 287 patients a year.

“Our health center plays a vital role in addressing critical oral health care needs in our community,” said Quileute Tribal Council Chairman Douglas Woodruff Jr. “Arcora Foundation’s support and partnership mean even more people will have a chance to live healthier and fuller lives through improved oral health.”

People who receive care at the QHC dental clinic include all enrolled Quileute members, members from the other 573 federally recognized tribes and the descendants of enrolled tribal members. The clinic also serves children with Apple Health (Medicaid) in La Push and surrounding communities to help address unmet oral health needs.

“Beyond the updates to the dental clinic, this grant is a meaningful commitment to expand access to care for people the Quileute Health Center serves, so no one is left behind,” said Arcora Foundation President and CEO Vanetta Abdellatif. “Arcora is proud to partner with the Quileute Nation to ensure more people—especially those who have been historically underinvested in—can access the care they need when, where and how they need it.” 

The QHC dental clinic is scheduled to have fully expanded capacity by early 2025.

In Clallam County, parts of the Olympic Peninsula have pockets of dental professional shortages according to federal data. Tribal clinics like QHC provide essential oral and overall health services to address historical dental health disparities, which disproportionately persist among American Indians/Alaska Natives and lower-income households.

The capital grant to QHC is among 3 that Arcora Foundation awarded totaling $340,000. Kalispel Tribe of Indians’ Camas Center Medical and Dental Clinic, another Native health center, received a $130,000 grant. The other went to One Community Health ($70,000), a community health center.

About the Quileute Tribe

Quileute Nation is a federally recognized tribe on the western coast of Clallam County at the tip of the Olympic Peninsula in remote La Push. Applying a collaborative patient care approach, the Quileute Health Center (QHC) provides comprehensive primary medical, dental, behavioral health, substance use services and specialty care for people all ages. Its dental clinic focuses in caring for tribal members and lower-income neighbors.

About Arcora Foundation

Arcora Foundation advances oral health across Washington state. We are the foundation of Delta Dental of Washington, and the state’s largest foundation dedicated to this cause. We lead with equity in our work to achieve good oral health for all. Through partnerships, we focus our prevention and access priorities on racial and ethnic communities—specifically Black, Indigenous, and People of Color—where disparities in oral disease and access to care are significant. Our mission is in our name: bending the arc of oral health toward equity. Learn more at ArcoraFoundation.org.

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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.

One Community Health announces $70,000 grant from Arcora Foundation

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Investment expands dental care access for Klickitat, Skamania county residents.

White Salmon, WA–Southwest Washington residents in need of affordable dental care will soon have more options. One Community Health (OCH) received a $70,000 grant from Arcora Foundation for a new dental clinic in White Salmon.

The funding will go toward construction of a $2.6 million, 2,000-square-foot dental clinic in White Salmon. The dental clinic—which will primarily serve people from Klickitat and Skamania counties—will include 13 dental treatment areas. It will provide access to an estimated 8,500 new dental patients, providing 17,000 appointments annually.

“Our mission is to advance health and social justice for all members of our community,” said One Community Health CEO Jennifer Griffith. “Arcora Foundation’s support helps us fulfill our mission for all so that even more people will have an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of good oral health.”

The grant announcement coincides with National Health Center Week—an annual national observance that endeavors to highlight the important role community health centers play in creating a healthier and a more equitable society. Community health centers care for more than 1.1 million people throughout Washington state. Nationwide, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) like One Community Health serve more than 30.5 million people each year. Once fully staffed, the White Salmon clinic will have 20 dental care professionals and will be the only FQHC providing integrated medical, dental and behavioral health care in Klickitat County.

“Beyond funding construction of the new clinic, this grant is a meaningful commitment to expand access to care for Southwest Washington residents, so no one is left behind,” said Arcora Foundation President and CEO Vanetta Abdellatif. “Arcora is proud to partner with One Community Health to ensure more people—especially those who have been historically underinvested in—can access the care they need when, where and how they need it.” 

Currently, OCH’s dental clinics in Oregon serve patients from Oregon and Washington with those from Washington having to travel further for care. The new White Salmon clinic will be closer to patients and residents of Skamania and Klickitat counties, counties with few dental resources for the medically underserved. In providing easier access to preventive oral health care and timely dental treatments, this new clinic will make a timely impact on the oral health care needs of these communities.

The new dental clinic is expected to begin serving patients in December 2025.

The capital grant to OCH is among 3 that Arcora Foundation awarded totaling $340,000. The others went to tribal health centers: Kalispel Tribe of Indians’ Camas Center Medical and Dental Clinic ($130,000), and Quileute Health Center ($140,000).

About One Community Health

One Community Health (OCH) is a nonprofit, Federally Qualified Health Center serving patients in the Mid-Columbia River Gorge region, which includes Wasco and Hood River counties in Oregon and Klickitat and Skamania counties in Washington. In addition to its seven physical locations, OCH has two mobile medical units dedicated to serving the small, rural communities that dot the landscape of the Gorge, as well as Native American communities living along the Columbia. Formerly known as La Clínica del Cariño Family Health Care Center, OCH was founded in 1986 and today has evolved into a 5-Star Patient-Centered Primary Care Home providing medical, dental, and behavioral health care to more than 38,000 patients. OCH also excels in providing specialized care that promotes the well being and health of all, including farmworker outreach, addiction support services, LGBTQ+ community care, and a specialized diabetes support team.

About Arcora Foundation

Arcora Foundation advances oral health across Washington state. We are the foundation of Delta Dental of Washington, and the state’s largest foundation dedicated to this cause. We lead with equity in our work to achieve good oral health for all. Through partnerships, we focus our prevention and access priorities on racial and ethnic communities—specifically Black, Indigenous, and People of Color—where disparities in oral disease and access to care are significant. Our mission is in our name: bending the arc of oral health toward equity. Learn more at ArcoraFoundation.org.

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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.