Between 2019 and 2024, North Sound ACH supported a multi-sector working group to advance the essential work of expanding access to oral health care across our region, particularly in rural areas and for elementary school students.

This group began in 2019 as a Local Impact Network (LIN), founded by the Arcora Foundation and North Sound ACH, which committed resources to help partners achieve LIN-specific goals, guided by a regional Steering Committee that set the strategic direction. The LIN was a partnership of individuals and organizations in the North Sound region (Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Island, and San Juan Island counties, and eight Tribal nations) working together to improve oral health equity, sharing resources, best practices, performance improvement data, and working collaboratively on projects.

In 2024, the North Sound Oral Health Local Impact Network (LIN) sponsored the creation of data maps to highlight eight essential oral health metrics across the region at a sub-county level, including dental provider and dental clinic shortages, dental utilization rates for children and adults with Medicaid, and cities with fluoridated water supplies. The LIN evaluator, Lara Welker, spent nearly a year organizing the data to help communities identify areas for greatest impact.

Reach out to us at Team@NorthSoundACH.org if you’d like to explore the current state of oral health in our region and its ties to other community metrics.

Here are the results of the Oral Health LIN data mapping project at the sub-county level, including maps, corresponding tables, and data notes for each of the five counties in our region: Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom.

Here you can find previous meeting recordings of North Sound Oral Health LIN meetings.

Here you can find previous newsletters of the North Sound Oral Health LIN.