Building Oral Health Equity in Spokane
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Photo by Arcora Foundation.
Smile Spokane has served as an organizing entity with strategies to improve oral health in Spokane, including investing in focused community education to raise awareness of the importance of oral health and the benefits of community water fluoridation.
In early 2021, with a global pandemic upon us and the disparities in health care were becoming glaringly obvious. With the support of the Arcora Foundation, Smile Spokane and CHAS Health Community Health Workers (CHWs) partnered for an equity project focused on the oral health needs of Spokane’s Marshallese community members.
PICA and Marshallese CHWs from CHAS Health gathered qualitative information from the local community. They determined the efforts and funding should focus on four main gaps experienced by Marshallese families regarding accessing oral health care and education. Smile supported informational and educational materials translations in Marshallese, transportation, and lack of access to internet and tech that supports connections to resources and information. Marshallese CHWs from CHAS Health provided all services.
Since the start of this work in April 2021, we have translated nine oral health-related materials, provided 100 bus passes and over 2000 oral health kits. We are partnering with the Spokane County Library District to have Marshallese CHWs on location at library locations on specific days to provide internet access and digital navigation services.
Last month, Smile Spokane partnered with SmileMobile to provide services to Spokane’s Marshallese community and other communities of color. At the event, dental providers offered dental exams, cleanings, and other treatments outside the Spokane Tribe Casino in Airway Heights. The clinic was able to serve 30 patients.
This month we have started our second equity project providing similar services to Spokane’s Spanish-speaking community members.
