APA coordinates donated health & dental care for low-income, uninsured Alaskans.
03/30/2026
Thank you to our incredible volunteer providers!
On National Doctors’ Day, we thank the dedicated providers who make Anchorage Project Access possible.
For more than 20 years, your generosity has formed the heart of Alaska’s health care safety net; ensuring low-income, uninsured Alaskans can receive the care they need.
Because of you, thousands have gained access to life-changing medical, dental, and mental health care, and the hope that comes with it. Your compassion and commitment continue to transform lives across our community.
03/27/2026
Chronic inflammation in the oral cavity may increase levels of inflammatory markers in the bloodstream affecting immune response or adding to the body’s general burden of disease. Secondly, the oral cavity may act as a reservoir for pathogenic bacteria that can enter the bloodstream and affect distant-site or systemic pathologies (systemic endotoxemia or bacteremia).
For more information visit the link below:
Oral Systemic Health covers theories and research on the connections between oral health and overall health.
03/23/2026
We are so grateful to celebrate an incredible milestone; 18 years of service from our volunteer extraordinaire, Geri Cannon! Her time, care, and commitment have supported our team and helped make our work possible behind the scenes for nearly two decades!
Thank you, Geri, for all you’ve given to APA and the community we serve. We truly couldn’t do it without you!
03/20/2026
For the first few days, if you must rinse, rinse your mouth gently. If you experience swelling, apply a cold cloth or an ice bag and call your dentist right away. Ask your dentist about pain medication. You can brush and floss the other teeth as usual. But don't clean the teeth next to where the tooth was removed. Remember, when having an extraction, today's modern procedures and follow-up care (as recommended by your dentist) are there for your benefit and comfort.
For more information visit the link below:
An extraction means to have a tooth removed, usually because of disease, trauma or crowding. Get some tips to follow to make a tooth extraction recovery easier.
03/13/2026
Periodontal disease has been associated with several health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes. While several associations have been found between periodontitis and systemic conditions, finding direct causality remains elusive. Periodontal and systemic diseases share many common risk factors, including smoking and poor diet.
For more information visit the link below:
Oral Systemic Health covers theories and research on the connections between oral health and overall health.
03/06/2026
An extraction means to have a tooth removed, usually because of disease, trauma or crowding. If you need an extraction, your dentist will first numb the area to lessen any discomfort. After the extraction, your dentist will advise you of what post extraction regimen to follow. In most cases a small amount of bleeding is normal. Your mouth will slowly fill in the bone where the tooth root was through the formation of a blood clot.
For more information visit the link below:
An extraction means to have a tooth removed, usually because of disease, trauma or crowding. Get some tips to follow to make a tooth extraction recovery easier.
03/02/2026
Anchorage Project Access will be exhibiting at the Alaska Medical Group Management Association Annual Conference this April!
We will be connecting with healthcare leaders from across the state about expanding access to specialty care for low-income, uninsured Alaskans.
If you’re attending, stop by our booth and say hello!
02/26/2026
Schedule a visit with a healthcare provider if you have severe pain or symptoms that don’t resolve within a few weeks. Most tongue problems improve over time. Symptoms that don’t improve may signal an underlying condition that requires treatment.
While you can have a crack in any of your teeth, cracks happen most often in your upper front teeth and the teeth in the back of your lower jaw. Other names for cracked teeth are cracked tooth syndrome and fractured teeth. There are several parts to your teeth, and you can have a crack in all those parts.
Tongue problems may include a tongue that’s painful, enlarged or swollen, oddly textured or an unusual color, like white, yellow, brown or black. Infection, inflammation and conditions you’re born with or develop later in life can all cause symptoms affecting your tongue. Most tongue problems are easy to diagnose and treat.
Stress doesn’t always appear as obvious. Sometimes it shows up as:
• trouble sleeping
• feeling irritable or overwhelmed
• constant worry or racing thoughts
• difficulty focusing
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, ongoing stress can affect both mental and physical health if it’s left unchecked. Learning how stress shows up is an important first step.
One simple tool that can help in the moment:
👉 The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise
Name 5 things you can see
4 things you can feel
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
Using the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise can help you feel calmer and bring you back to the present moment.
💙 Need more support?
Anchorage Project Access may be able to connect you to a professional who can help.
If you or someone you know needs support, call or text 907-743-6652.
A brief social media graphic about stress, anxiety, and ways to cope when feeling overwhelmed.
02/05/2026
A cracked or fractured tooth may happen because you grind your teeth, injure a tooth or because you’re getting older. A cracked tooth may cause symptoms like pain and swelling. Your tooth may feel sensitive to changes in temperature. Your dentist has several ways to treat a cracked tooth. Treatment depends on where the crack’s location and severity.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Anchorage Project Access posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Anchorage Project Access is a local replication of a national model that has proven to improve health outcomes and reduce emergency room charity care costs in many communities. Residing fiscally and administratively under the nonprofit structure of Christian Health Associates, the project was founded and brought to the implementation stage through the collaborative efforts of many community stakeholders, including the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, a group of local physicians, Providence Health System in Alaska Community Benefit Program, the Rasmuson Foundation, United Way of Anchorage, Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center, The Foraker Group, Christian Health Associates, Municipality of Anchorage DHHS, Alaska Primary Care Association, State of Alaska DHSS, and Alaska Health Fair.
A physician-led initiative, APA and the volunteer provider network saw its first client in December 2005. Services provided by APA staff include all “back office” functions, such as enrollment, screening, and referral of patients to physicians; making patient appointments; phoning clients prior to appointments and ensuring access to transportation; maintaining physician relationships; providing physician recognition, and tracking and analyzing patient data.
The volunteer network provides the medical services, accepting and treating APA-referred patients as any other insured patients. Anchorage Project Access is founded on the premise that all participating patients have a primary care home. In addition to income eligibility, in order to receive services from APA, the patient must have a medical need. Patients must see their primary care provider, or be assigned and have a visit with one, before being referred to sub-specialty care: primary care physicians provide acute and chronic illness care. They refer to sub-specialty colleagues for consultation and interventions.
APA added the planned pharmacy component to the client services through an agreement with Carrs/Safeway pharmacies. Project Access patients receive medication assistance cards honored by Carrs/Safeway pharmacy (patients whose primary medical home is the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center receive their medications through the ANHC pharmacy program). The program uses a limited formulary, emphasizing generic medications, and limiting expenditures for any one participant to $800 per year for medications.
