EAST WHATCOM COUNTY — Kathy Howard’s last trip to the dentist left her with an exposed tooth root that was prone to infection. After struggling with this issue, she decided to visit the mobile dentistry van she saw parked behind the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center in early March.
“It’s easier to come here than to go to the dental clinics in town,” Howard explained.
During her visit, Howard spoke with Dr. Jessica Dubek, the dentist and founder of the mobile clinic. She shared her personal story, revealing that she and her husband had been homeless for ten years before finding stable housing a few years ago.
“A lot of people think when you’ve lost that many teeth, it’s because you’re dirty,” Howard said.
She added that she and her husband had once lived behind a Walmart in Bellingham, a situation she described as “never again,” accompanied by a wry laugh. Howard emphasized that while some might assume tooth loss is due to drug use, for her, it was a result of homelessness. “It was not being able to brush your teeth as often or at all,” she said.
Howard’s story reflects the mission of the DentALL mobile dental clinic, which works to provide dental care to those with limited access to services. The clinic began visiting the Maple Falls resource center in March, filling the gap left by Medical Teams International mobile clinics, which had served the center monthly until they ceased services last fall.
DentALL accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and other insurance plans. For patients who are uninsured, the clinic provides care at no cost. Upcoming visits to the East Whatcom center are scheduled for April 17, May 1, and May 17.
