Everyone deserves access to good oral health
Pierce County Local Impact Network (LIN) brings together people and groups from our community to improve oral health for those who need it most.
Partners like you can help us move closer to oral health equity!
Why we need to act
According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 38.8% of Pierce County adults have had at least one permanent tooth removed because of decay or gum disease. Rates of decay are even higher among low-income communities and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
Fewer disparities, more smiles.
Oral health disparities are widespread. That’s why we use strategies that:
- Help underserved populations access care.
- Test new care approaches.
- Increase the number of dentists serving Medicaid patients.
- Connect people to dental care.
- Promote targeted messages to help people make healthy decisions and change community norms.
- Grow a diverse dental-assistant workforce.
- Provide oral health preventive services in healthcare settings.
We’ve already made progress together!
Our partners have worked together to:
- Identify a local backbone organization and network manager.
- Help develop LIN’s structure and governance.
- Regularly convene about 60 people from more than 20 local organizations.
- Launch 5 Anchor Strategies to move LIN’s efforts forward.
- Organize monthly Dental Resource Days with Sumner Community Food Bank.
- Begin the process to bring more oral health services to Primary Care clinics.
- Engage hundreds of Community Health Workers (CHWs) to understand the needs of the workforce.
Get involved
For more info, contact Dawn Jacobs at djacobs@tpchd.org.
