By Cecilia Sorci

Special To The Medium

Thousands of people throughout the region will receive no-cost dental, medical and vision care at a large-scale, free clinic Sept. 20-23 at KeyArena. For the fifth consecutive year, Seattle Center will transform into the Seattle/King County Clinic, a pop-up clinic providing a wide range of complementary healthcare services.

People come from all four corners of the state go to the Seattle/King County Clinic for the free care; many arrive the night before and wait in line for hours. As in previous years, dental care is expected to be the most requested service.

“The long lines provide a glimpse of how many people have difficulty getting health care because of rising costs and other factors,” said State Rep. Eric Pettigrew, D-Seattle. “Providing this opportunity for people to get needed care is both compassionate and prudent because it helps them personally and it makes our community healthier, but policy changes are needed to develop long-term solutions to the lack of access.”

The Seattle Center Foundation, which hosts and organizes the Seattle/King County Clinic, is partnering with more than 100 organizations, thousands of health professionals and other caring volunteers to help provide free care for many of the area’s most vulnerable and underserved residents.

Patient attendance has grown each year. Just over 4,000 people received care in 2016 and nearly 4,500 people last year.

One person seeking care was a 43-year-old housekeeper from Tukwila. After looking for local dental care without success, this mother of five waited in line for free care at a previous Seattle/King County Clinic. “I wouldn’t get care if it weren’t for this clinic,” she said. “It’s worth sitting here all night long to get it.”

Dental pain and other impacts of oral disease can be debilitating for people of all ages. Oral health also influences general wellbeing.

According to the Washington State Department of Health, African American adults are more likely than other racial or ethnic minorities to have periodontal disease. Compared to Whites, African Americans are more likely to develop oral or pharyngeal cancer, are less likely to have it diagnosed at early stages, and will have lower five-year survival rates. Racial and ethnic minorities in general are also more likely to be uninsured and have poor access to dental care.

A Washington State Dept. of Health briefing on oral health disparities report finds that:

42% African American adults (age 20-64) report having at least one untreated cavity

African American adults are the least likely to keep all of their original teeth, with 38% of adults (age 20-64) reporting having all of the teeth. That’s significantly lower than Asian, Hispanic and whites.

African American seniors are more likely to lose all of the teeth (29%).

Young children of color (ages 2-8) are more likely to have untreated tooth decay, including 21% of African American children

“We help provide dental care at the Clinic because oral health is essential to overall health, and no one should be denied the care they need,” said Diane Oakes, President and CEO of Arcora Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Washington.

The Seattle/King County Clinic provides much-needed services like cleanings, fillings and extractions. However, an annual clinic is only a temporary solution. Many people waiting in line suffer from severe dental pain that could have been prevented.

“Poor oral health can affect kids’ ability to sleep, eat properly and do well in school,” Oakes said. “That’s why every child should have an oral health checkup by age one, to catch problems early. For adults, dental problems can interfere with employment and lead to complications in pregnancy and other serious health problems like diabetes, heart disease and stroke.”

Oakes said people with Apple Health (Medicaid) have dental benefits but still have difficulty accessing care, noting that fewer than one out of four of the 1.1 million adults in the state who have Apple Health (Medicaid) saw a dentist last year.

The Arcora Foundation developed DentistLink(www.dentistlink.org), a free online service that patients can use to connect with a dental practice that will accept their insurance, including Apple Health. Patients also can call or text 844-888-5465. DentistLink is available to everyone including insured and uninsured.

The Seattle/King County Clinic runs from Thursday through Sunday, with the weekend days the busiest. Plan for a long day with water, snacks, medication and activities to help pass the time because lines start forming early. More information on the Seattle/King County Clinic is available at http://seattlecenter.org/skcclinic/.Share this story: