The SmileMobile Dental Clinic will be in Longview Monday through Thursday providing services to babies, children, youth, pregnant or postpartum individuals and adults who are uninsured or under Apple Health, also known as Medicaid.
The dental bus will be parked at the Cowlitz Tribal Health Clinic at 1044 11th Ave., Longview. To make an appointment, call 888-286-9105. People don’t have to be tribe members to program.
The drive from Vancouver to Longview was worth it for Nakia Aalvik. She needed a dental appointment for herself and her two children.
At the appointment, the dental team can provide an exam, oral health education, fluoride varnish, sealants, simple extraction, temporary filling, or X-rays, as well as a written referral. The services are offered at little or no cost.
The SmileMobile is operated by the Arcora Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Washington, the state’s largest dental insurance company.
The bus travels the state year-round. More than 45,000 patients have been examined and treated, according to the organization.
The Washington State Health Care Authority reports that 17,492 Cowlitz County residents, or about 17% of the population, used Medicaid for dental services in 2018. The county’s rate of uninsured residents was 5.2% in February 2021, according to the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
