East Pierce County has a new free dental clinic. You don’t need insurance to get care
If a trip to the dentist has been long overdue, there’s a pop-up clinic in Sumner that might be able to help at no cost.
The Sumner Community Food Bank at 15625 Main St. E. recently partnered with various organizations to offer free dental services to adults and children.
At the food bank, Medical Teams International is offering adults free fillings, cleanings and extractions, among other things. Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children is offering free dental screenings, fluoride varnish and sealants for kids.
The clinic will be held on the last Thursday of every month for a year, Medical Teams spokesperson Karen Piatt said. The first clinic was on Aug. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in front of the food bank. Roughly 20 people signed up to receive care.
Tacoma resident Laurel Jones had a walk-in visit for her three young children that day.
“It’s super helpful financially for my kids to be able to get not just a check-up today, but also fluoride treatment,” Jones told The News Tribune.
Lindquist Dental Clinic does not offer cleanings at this clinic because of “equipment, space and logistics,” said Cassie Harter, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department health promotion coordinator.
The food bank notified its patrons about the clinic and will continue to do so, said Anthony Apeles, the food bank’s executive director. Over 2,000 people were notified, he said.
Apeles said he wants the food bank to be a part of people’s “wellness journey.” Offering food is a need they are already fulfilling — dental care is just another step, he said.
“It’s a continuing struggle for our clients just to put food on the table. Dental care is an afterthought … because they’re just trying to provide basic needs for the family. Our ability to bring the services here at no cost is huge,” Apeles said.
Patients can call the food bank at 253-863-3793 or Medical Teams at 425-454-8326 to book an appointment. They do not need insurance to get on the list. Those who attend will get referred to a local dentist for follow-up care.
Many organizations helped bring the free monthly clinic to Sumner as part of a coalition focused on improving oral health in Pierce County that they’re calling the Local Impact Network. That network is overseen by the health department and is funded by Arcora Foundation, which has “grants and sponsorships for projects that support oral health,” according to its website.
The food bank offered the space, marketing, translators and volunteers. SeaMar offered an insurance plan navigator and helped people sign up for resources. DentistLink offered onsite referral services. Arcora Foundation helped with the planning, funding as well as dental care kits. TPCHD, Elevate Health and MultiCare helped with planning and programming administration. The county’s Aging and Disability Services offered resource tables.
Medical Teams is a faith-based organization that offers “life-saving” medical attention to people experiencing barriers to care, according to a news release about the new clinic. The release said the organization is short on volunteer dentists in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. Those who want more information can visit medicalteams.org.
Correction: An initial version of this article misstated the services offered for kids at the clinic. Medical Teams International serves adults. Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children offers free dental screenings, fluoride varnish and sealants for children. The article has also been updated to reflect that, in addition to the Sumner Community Food Bank and Medical Teams International, organizations involved in the free clinic include: SeaMar, MultiCare, DentistLink, Arcora Foundation, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Elevate Health, and Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources.
This story was originally published August 28, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
