Meet our new Sr. Director of Community Partnerships Min Song! 

Arcora is thrilled to welcome Min Song as our senior director of community partnerships! Min is passionate about bringing her community engagement experience to lead and support Arcora’s partnerships rooted in racial equity. And we hear she’s always excited to try a new board game. 

Learn more about Min Song. 

MouthMatters strengthens partnership with MultiCare Health System.

Did you know medical providers see young children up to 11 times in their first 3 years? When children enrolled in Apple Health (Medicaid) receive an oral health screening during a well-child visit, they are much more likely to visit a dentist.

As part of their commitment to whole-child health, Multicare and Mary Bridge Children's Hospital are partnering with Arcora’s MouthMatters program to train all pediatric providers to deliver preventive oral health services. 

MouthMatters is Arcora’s medical-dental integration program that helps providers effectively deliver oral health services—including screenings and fluoride varnish—for young patients starting at age one. Beyond the initial training, MouthMatters offers ongoing support and tools for medical teams and systems. 

Learn how MouthMatters can support your clinic. 

Culturally appropriate care training launches at Pacific Northwest Dental Conference. 

Arcora formally launched our latest continuing education courses at this month’s Pacific Northwest Dental Conference! These courses offer timely, foundational training on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and culturally appropriate care in the dental office. The goal is to strengthen provider-patient relationships and promote better health outcomes. 

Thank you to Dr. Douglass Jackson and Ginlin Woo for their guidance and partnership in making these important trainings a reality. We look forward to hosting more sessions across the state. Stay tuned for an online version of the courses by Q4 of 2023.

Dr. Beatrice Gandara to retire from University of Washington School of Dentistry. 

Congratulations to Dr. Beatrice “Bea” Gandara on her well-earned retirement! Dr. Gandara is a lifelong oral health champion and recipient of Arcora’s 2021 Oral Health Hero Award.

In addition to providing dental care to under-resourced communities, she’s worked with Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) communities to support their students in applying for and succeeding in dental school. She has mentored, supported, and coached many underrepresented students to make sure they feel welcome and at home at the University of Washington School of Dentistry and as leaders on dental teams.

It’s been a privilege to partner with Dr. Gandara on Arcora’s continuing education and tribal collaboratives. We wish a happy and healthy retirement! 

Learn more about Dr. Gandara’s career and legacy. 

ICYMI: Arcora Vice President celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander-led nonprofits. 

Last month, Sunshine Monastrial—Arcora vice president—shared her own experience as a Filipino immigrant to the United States. Arcora celebrates Sunshine and 2 project grant recipients who work to remove barriers to good oral and overall health for their Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community members. 

Read Sunshine’s full blog. 

Apply for Arcora sponsorship funding.

We want to support your upcoming community or fundraising event! Arcora has dedicated funding for Washington state organizations that work to elevate and advance community-identified and community-led efforts to reduce inequities and promote health equity. 

Our sponsorship opportunities support events such as community and culturally specific gatherings, meetings, conferences, and fundraisers. We ask that you apply at least 4-6 weeks prior to your event.

Complete our brief application form. 

Juneteenth celebrates joy.

Women of Wisdom (WOW) Tri-Cities—a Black women-led nonprofit—hosted a joy-filled Juneteenth celebration! This free event supported the whole-body health of community members, offering vaccines, art lessons, and free oral health kits, which Arcora supplied. We are grateful to partner with WOW Tri-Cities on engagements like these to help more people live full, healthy lives. 

Also for Juneteenth, Arcora President and CEO Vanetta Abdellatif shares about the need to center equity in building a healthier future for all in her latest blog post. Join us in celebrating Black joy and how it embraces the ability to achieve good oral and overall health.

Read Vanetta Abdellatif’s blog. 

Renewal and eligibility reviews resume for Apple Health (Medicaid) enrollees.

During COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), Apple Health enrollees did not need to renew or show proof of eligibility to maintain their coverage. As of June 1, 2023, required eligibility renewals will resume for all enrollees.

Ways you can help:

• Remind Apple Health enrollees to update their contact information with the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA). This will help ensure they get their renewal notice in a timely manner and can maintain their coverage. This video is a helpful resource to share.

• Volunteer as an Apple Health ambassador. As an ambassador, you will help the people in your community understand actions that need to be taken to maintain coverage, including updating contact information and responding to renewal notices. Ambassadors also work with community organizations to share HCA-created communications. Learn more and sign up for the next info session.

Find more information from the HCA.

Inclusive and informed care supports better health outcomes for LGBTQIA+ community members. 

Patients of all backgrounds should feel safe and welcome in the dental office. In honor of Pride Month, Delta Dental of Washington—our funder—partnered with the Seattle LGBTQ+ Center to develop LGBTQIA+ resources for oral health professionals. Visit Delta Dental of Washington’s website to find tips for creating an inclusive environment and what to know about oral health care and gender affirming care. 

We’re also grateful to have celebrated Pride in Spokane and Seattle alongside our Delta Dental of Washington colleagues! Thank you to everyone who stopped by and shared a smile. 

Another successful Seattle/King County Clinic.

Approximately 1,600 patients received essential, compassionate dental care during this year's Seattle/King County Clinic (SKCC) on April 27-30. Thank you to the 500 licensed health care professionals and 500 general support workers who volunteered each day of the clinic.  

Pop-up clinics like SKCC underscore the need for expanded preventive oral health and dental access resources not only in the Puget Sound area, but in communities across the state. Dental is historically the most requested service at the clinic. Thank you for partnering with Arcora in our shared goal of finding everyone a dental home. 

Learn more about SKCC and the need for expanded dental access.