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Seattle/King County Clinic Wraps Up Four-Days of Free Dental, Medical, and Vision Services Providing More Than 3,000 People with Care

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The first full Clinic since the pandemic returned to Seattle Center

Seattle/King County Clinic concluded its four-day run (April 27-30) today at Seattle Center, providing free dental, medical, and eye care to more than 3,000 people who struggle to access or afford healthcare – the first full Clinic offered since the pandemic.

The comprehensive dental, medical, and vision clinic included a review of each patient’s health history and offered dental fillings and extractions, eye examinations, physical exams, behavioral healthcare, immunizations, laboratory tests, mammograms, ultrasounds, x-rays, and more. Around 1,000 patients selected new optician-fitted frames from a wide variety of styles and had prescription eyeglasses ordered – for delivery in early June. In addition, participants were assisted with social work, health insurance navigation, and other community resources.

At this year’s Clinic, about 1,600 patients received dental care, 1,000 received eye care, and just under 2,000 received medical care.

Patients were families, elders, veterans, immigrants, refugees, people experiencing homelessness, and, in large part, wage earners who struggle with the high cost of living. At this year’s Clinic, approximately 47 percent of patients were unemployed, disabled, or retired, with college students and children under 18 counting for around five percent. Two percent identified as military veterans.

As in previous years, the majority of patients cited a lack of insurance or being underinsured as their primary barriers to receiving dental, medical, and vision care – they also came to the Clinic from across the region and spoke more than 37 primary languages.

Led by Seattle Center and Seattle Center Foundation, Seattle/King County Clinic brings together healthcare organizations, civic agencies, nonprofits, and private businesses to transform Seattle Center facilities into a healthcare operation. An average of 500 licensed healthcare professionals and 500 general support volunteers each day donate their time and expertise.

Seattle/King County Clinic is made possible through thousands of donated work hours as well as cash and in-kind contributions. Over eight years, that support has helped the Clinic provide more than $22 million in direct services to 27,000 patients. Donations are accepted at seattlecenter.org/donations.

Learn more about Seattle/King County Clinic at seattlecenter.org/skcclinic.

About Clinic Partners  

Several community organizations collaborate to produce Seattle/King County Clinic and contribute needed resources and expertise, including:  

141 Eyewear · Amazon · AMN Healthcare · APTA Washington · Arcora Foundation · Auston James Photography · Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation · Burkhart Dental Supply · Cisco Systems · Climate Pledge Arena · Cornish College of the Arts · DCG ONE · Delta Dental of WA · Dentsply Sirona · DEXIS · Essilor Vision Foundation · Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · Grousemont Foundation · Gull Industries, Inc. · Heidelberg Engineering · Henry Schein, Inc. · Hepatitis Education Project · HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response · Kaiser Permanente · Kerr Dental · King County Nurses Association · KLS Martin LP · Microsoft · Molina Healthcare · Nashi · National Association of Social Workers – WA Chapter · Neighborhood House · The Norcliffe Foundation · Northwest Eye Surgeons · Opticians Association of WA · Optometric Physicians of WA · OVVO Optics · Pacific Northwest Chinese Nurses Association · Pacific Office Automation · Patterson Dental · Patterson Foundation · Peer Seattle · PhenoPath · Philips Healthcare · Project Access Northwest · Providence Swedish · Public Health – Seattle & King County · Seattle Center · Seattle Center Foundation · Seattle Fire Department · Seattle Housing Authority · Seattle Information Technology · Seattle King County Dental Foundation · Seattle King County Dental Society · Seattle Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs · Seattle Opera · Seattle Police Department · Snohomish County Dental Foundation · Somali Health Board · SPARK · Underwood Gartland Development · Uplift Northwest · UW Medicine / UW School of Medicine · UW School of Dentistry · Virginia Mason Franciscan Health · Vitalogy Foundation · VOSH Northwest · WA Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons · WA Association of Naturopathic Physicians · WA Dental Hygienists’ Association · WA Healthcare Access Alliance · WA State Chiropractic Association · WA State Dental Association · WA State Department of Health · WA State Nurses Association · WA State Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons · Zeiss