CHAS to develop dental clinic for low-income patients in north Spokane

The Community Health Association of Spokane is building a dental clinic for low-income patients in north Spokane, according to permits issued by the city.

The CHAS clinic, 203 E. Dalke Ave., is in the former North Spokane Physical & Sports Therapy building, which underwent extensive interior demolition before CHAS began its work.

When complete, the one-story building will have 6,300 square feet of space. Plans filed with the city show 19 dental patient chairs. The construction is valued at $1.8 million.

The north side clinic – and a six-chair clinic on the Sacred Heart campus that will treat patients with more complex dental needs – is a partnership between Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and CHAS. The clinics will be staffed by dental residents serving low-income patients. The Providence residency will host six dentists for a one-year general practice residency.

The Sacred Heart location, which opened last year, is run in partnership with other hospital departments. CHAS will hire seven or eight dentists to help run the north clinic and provide training to residents.

Delta Dental of Washington, the state’s main dental insurance provider, is contributing $1.6 million toward the partnership’s capital costs, and its foundation, the Arcora Foundation, will contribute an additional $400,000. That funding will be matched with $2 million from the state.

According to its website, CHAS has seven dental other clinics in the community.