A decades-old clinic for dentist care in St. Paul has closed its doors after struggling to secure sustainable funding. Hope Dental Clinic, which served the community for nearly 60 years, filed for bankruptcy last month. The nonprofit relied entirely on donations and provided free dental services to 2,500 patients last year.
Former board chair Linda Maytan said the closure feels “final” and that the board worries it has let the community down. The clinic operated for most of its history inside the Union Gospel Mission before becoming independent in recent years. It also served as a training site for dental students, but rising post-pandemic staffing costs and a shift in Minnesota’s fundraising landscape made its $1 million annual budget impossible to sustain.
Maytan said the board explored multiple funding options but could not find the support needed to keep the clinic for dentist services open. “We either didn’t know the right people at the right time, or we didn’t have the right idea,” she said.
The clinic’s website now directs former patients to Greater Twin Cities United Way’s 211 line for other low-cost dental resources. Julie Ogunleye of the United Way said that 2,000 people called last year seeking affordable dental care, underscoring the region’s need for accessible services.
Although Hope Dental Clinic has shut down, its leaders hope its mission inspires others. “We’ve done what we can do,” Maytan said. “Hopefully someone will take the baton and carry it to the next level.”
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