2025 March Canopy and Impact Report - Flipbook - Page 10
Community Impact
Medical Teams International Brings Dental Care
To Where People Are
With extreme anxiety, John* waited to be seen at the
Medical Teams International Mobile Dental Clinic (IMDC).
Immediately, Krissie Dillon, Care & Connect Program
Manager of IMDC, knew that John struggled with addiction.
His teeth were blackened by decay, a painful reminder of the
neglect that came with addiction. He shared with Dillon that
he was then 45 days sober.
To help ease John’s nervousness, Dillon gave him a
tour of the 25 ft. mobile dental clinic located in front of
the Evergreen Detox Clinic in Lynnwood. The waiting
booth in the front, the adjacent admin desk, and the
dental chair in the back.
because she enjoys seeing people working hard to recover
from their addictions.
The clinics are staffed by volunteer dentists, hygienists, and
support staff. The volunteer-driven model offers high-quality
care to patients at no cost, Dillon said.
In 2023 alone, the dental program served over 15,000
patients, delivering care valued at millions of dollars. There
are 14 mobile dental clinics in Washington alone.
*John is a pseudonym to protect the identity of the patient
Soon, John became comfortable enough to share his journey
and the shame that kept him from seeking help for so long.
He began to see hope.
Most patients feel self-conscious about the state of their
teeth but become vulnerable and comfortable after they
realize the clinic isn’t there to judge, Dillon said.
A certi昀椀ed dentist, along with a couple of volunteers, worked
on John for close to an hour, taking the time to restore his
front teeth with precision and care.
When John looked in the mirror, he saw a smile
full of possibility.
“It’s very ful昀椀lling, knowing we are helping
people,” Dillion said.
Stories like John’s inspire Dillon to work with Medical Teams
International, a faith-based global health organization
founded in 1979. They operate in over 20 countries,
providing medical and dental care to low-income families,
homeless individuals, veterans, seniors, refugees and more.
The mobile dental clinics bring urgent care directly to those
in need across the Paci昀椀c Northwest. Through funding from
Verdant Health Commission, they can serve hundreds of
patients in South Snohomish County.
Did you know?
According to CDC PLACES data, approximately 27.7%
of the population in South Snohomish County has been
diagnosed with high blood pressure, 34.7% has been
diagnosed with high cholesterol, and 32.2% have a
Body Mass Index that would be classi昀椀ed as obese.2
PLACES: Local Data for Better Health | CDC*
Accessing healthcare resources not easy for anyone.
As the population in South Snohomish County grows
older and becomes more diverse, Verdant invests
in organizations that make healthcare easier to
access and affordable.
“Verdant is supportive, we just get each other, and their
mission aligns with what we are doing,” Dillion said.
Speci昀椀cally at the Lynnwood location, the clinic sees patients
in recovery from meth or fentanyl addiction, Dillion said.
To her, working at the Lynnwood location is her favorite
* https://www.cdc.gov/places/index.html
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2024 Community Impact Report
