By Keegan Prosser for Runta News – Seattle, Washington
APRIL 6, 2026 (Seattle, WA) – Seattle/King County Clinic will return to Seattle Center from April 23-26, marking its 11th year of providing free dental, vision, and medical services to people who struggle to access or afford healthcare. Led by Seattle Center and Seattle Center Foundation, the Clinic transforms Seattle Center facilities into a large-scale healthcare operation staffed by more than 3,000 clinical and non-clinical volunteers.
Since 2014, Seattle/King County Clinic has served 33,000 patients from more than 190 zip codes, saving them an estimated $30 million in healthcare costs. Available services include dental fillings and extractions, eye exams and prescription eyeglasses, primary care, behavioral health, immunizations, diagnostic services such as lab tests, mammograms, ultrasounds, and X-rays, as well as social work, and more.
“Now more than ever, we are seeing people who never expected to find themselves in a position of need turning to clinics like ours for essential healthcare,” said Julia Colson, Project Executive. “In the past year alone, rising costs of living, higher insurance premiums, coverage cuts, provider shortages, and other barriers have deepened an already fractured healthcare landscape. Whatever the reason, this clinic is for anyone who cannot otherwise access the services they need.”
Patients come from all walks of life, ranging from families, seniors, and veterans, to immigrants, refugees, LGBTQ+ individuals, and low-income community members. To be as low barrier as possible, services are offered on a first-come first-served basis, and interpreters are available to support culturally responsive care for all patients.
“I am so humbled to be able to receive care from the community. The entire process went like clockwork,” said Seattle/King County Clinic patient Riko. “Everyone treated us with the utmost of care and compassion. If there is one word to describe what I felt at the Clinic, it would be ‘safe.’”
Individuals who plan to attend the Clinic need to know:
- Patients are treated on a first-come, first-served basis. No advance registration or appointments are available.
- Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center (200 Thomas Street) serves as the ticket distribution area. Free admission tickets are handed out beginning at 5:30 a.m. each day. Tickets are limited.
- Patients do notneed to show documentation of any kind to receive care.
- Patients do not need to be residents of Seattle or King County to receive care.
- All onsite services are provided free of charge.
- Interpretation is available.
- Patients cannot receive both dental and vision care on the same day but may return on another day to get a ticket and pursue additional services.
- For more information, visit seattlecenter.org/patients
Seattle/King County Clinic is made possible by community partners, volunteers, and generous financial and in-kind contributions. Donations can be made at seattlecenter.org/donations.
About Seattle/King County Clinic
Seattle/King County Clinic, a project led by Seattle Center and Seattle Center Foundation, is the largest community-driven health clinic of its kind in the United States. Uniting healthcare organizations, civic agencies, nonprofits, businesses, and thousands of volunteers, the Clinic transforms Seattle Center’s facilities into a comprehensive healthcare operation. It provides free dental, vision, medical, and social services to individuals who face barriers to accessing and affording essential care. The Clinic reflects what Seattle Center is at its core: a civic entity that brings people together to support one another and meet real community needs.
About Clinic Partners
Several organizations collaborate to produce Seattle/King County Clinic and contribute needed resources and expertise, including:
141 Eyewear · Amazon · American Association of Endodontists Foundation · AMN Healthcare · APTA Washington · Arcora Foundation · Auston James Photography · Avero Diagnostics · Bellevue Dentistry · Cambia Health Foundation · CISC · Cisco Systems · Climate Pledge Arena · Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University · DCG ONE · Dentsply Sirona · Envista Smile Project · Foothills Dental Services · Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · Friends of the Seattle Public Library · Grousemont Foundation · Gull Industries · Heidelberg Engineering · Henry Schein · HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response · International Community Health Services · Kaiser Permanente · King County Medical Society · King County Metro · King County Nurses Association · KLS Martin LP · Lucky Seven Foundation · Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization · Mediterranean Inn · Microsoft · Nashi Immigrants Health Board · National Association of Social Workers · Neighborcare Health · The Norcliffe Foundation · Northwest Translators and Interpreters Society · Oakview Group Hospitality · OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation · Opticians Association of WA · Optometric Physicians of WA · Optum Care Washington · Pacific Office Automation · Patterson Dental · Patterson Foundation · Peer Seattle · PhenoPath · Philips Healthcare · Project Access Northwest · Providence Swedish · Public Health – Seattle & King County · Quest Diagnostics · SeaMar Community Health Centers · Seattle Center · Seattle Center Foundation · Seattle Department of Neighborhoods · Seattle Fire Department · Seattle Housing Authority · Seattle Information Technology · Seattle-King County Dental Society · Seattle Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs · Seattle Police Department · Seattle Roots Community Health · Snohomish County Dental Society & Foundation · Solventum · T-Mobile · Underwood Gartland Development · Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle · UW Medicine – Family Medicine · UW School of Dentistry · Virginia Mason Franciscan Health · Vision Technologies · Vitalogy Foundation · VOSH Northwest · Washington 211 · WA Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons · WA Acupuncture and Eastern Medicine Association · WA Dental Hygienists’ Association · WA Emergency Nurses Association · WA Healthcare Access Alliance · WA Immigrant Solidarity Network · WA State Dental Association · WA State Dental Laboratory Association · WA State Department of Health · WA State Medical Association · WA State Nurses Association · WA State Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons · Zeiss
For more information, see Seattle/King County Clinic Partners.
