Healthy Smiles for All

Healthy Smiles for All Initiative

A healthy mouth leads to better overall health. Studies show that poor oral hygiene can increase risk for diabetes, heart attack, stroke and premature births. Oral diseases affect what we eat, how we look, the way we communicate and how we feel about ourselves. They also affect academic success and economic productivity by limiting our ability to learn, work and succeed. To address the oral health needs in our region, Samaritan Health Services and other community partners are working to educate the community on the benefits of good oral health and improve access to dental services through the Healthy Smiles for All initiative. Please explore our webpage and learn about the oral health resources available in the community.

Coast to Cascades Community Wellness Network

The Coast to the Cascades Community Wellness Network is a formal coalition that includes key leaders and decision-makers from health care organizations, schools, government agencies, non-profit organizations and tribal councils.  They lead or are an active member in local coalitions in Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties that are designed to provide guidance and direction on issues that impact the health of the community.

CCCWN supports and monitors the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Healthy Smiles for All grant, in addition to addressing community health improvement recommendations from regional and local oral health coalitions.

Mission: To provide leadership to enhance the health of communities through development and support for collaborative regional partnerships in Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties.

Vision: The Coast to the Cascades Community Wellness Network leads and sustains a system of partnerships of agencies and organizations working together to provide integrated services and programs to promote individual and community health. 

For more information on the Coast to Cascades Wellness Network, please contact Rochelle Hazelton.

Adult Emergency Vouchers

Made possible by Samaritan Health Services and Linn County Oral Health Coalition, eligible community members can receive vouchers for emergency dental care through participating dental providers. Interested participants must be screened. If they qualify, they will receive a voucher and an appointment with a participating provider.

Eligibility requirements:

  • Resident of Brownsville, Lebanon or Sweet Home
  • Uninsured
  • Low income
  • 19 years of age or older
  • Experiencing dental pain

For information, call 541-451-1271, ext. 1 or ext. 2.

Medical-Dental Partnerships

In partnership with SmileKeepers Dental and sponsored by Capitol Dental, dental hygiene services are offered at several Samaritan clinics. 

Services: Dental exams, adult cleanings, full mouth X-rays, fluoride and referrals for restorative care
Locations: Samaritan Sweet Home Family Medicine and Samaritan Family Medicine Brownsville

To make an appointment, call 1-888-905-5082.

Medical Dental Integration Summit

Each year, the Medical Dental Integration summits address a variety of topics around these efforts. If you would like to learn more about the topics discussed at the summit, presentation materials are available below:

Dental Van Program

Dental vans staffed with volunteer dentists and hygienists provide no-cost dental care once per month in east Linn County and Lincoln County. This service is made possible by Samaritan Health Services, Linn County and Regional Oral Health Coalitions, in partnership with Medical Teams International.

Linn County contact information:
541-451-1271, ext. 1 or ext. 2

Lincoln County contact information:
541-557-6215

Oral Health Programs for Providers

Healthy Smiles for All includes a professional education component for providers. The goal is to improve oral health services in local clinics and to help integrate the expanded practice dental hygienists into the health care team. This program includes the First Tooth Program and Smiles for Life, a National Oral Health curriculum.

View Resources

Clean Smiles = Healthy Bodies

Clean Smiles = Healthy Bodies is a public awareness campaign aimed at improving the oral health of uninsured and underinsured residents in the rural communities of Lincoln and east Linn counties.

Oral Health Resources

For more information, contact our Oral Health program coordinator.