The sudden closure of the University of Minnesota’s Boynton Dental Clinic has left both patients and staff scrambling for alternatives, with no clear timeline for resolution.
Last month, the clinic, which had been in operation for over a century, closed unexpectedly. Initially, staff were told the closure was temporary for maintenance, but three weeks later, they were informed it was permanent.
Tisha Morrell, a dental assistant at the clinic, said that both the staff and patients received little information about the closure. “There was no additional information provided to the team or patients regarding why the decision was made to close the clinic, how our patients were to be informed, or how their care was to be continued,” Morrell explained.
About 25 clinic employees, including Morrell, have been placed on paid administrative leave. While some patients received notifications via text or email, others arrived for scheduled appointments only to find the clinic closed without prior warning.
University spokesperson Briana Reenshuler explained that the clinic faced unexpected maintenance costs after years of running on a budget deficit. The university is now directing patients to the School of Dentistry’s other clinics, which it claims will provide expanded services, including care from expert faculty and the next generation of dental professionals.
However, patients have reported delays in rescheduling appointments. At a recent press conference, patients stated that it was taking days to get responses to appointment requests, with some appointments being pushed back by months.
Graduate students, who rely on the University’s dental plan, are particularly affected, as the plan previously covered care exclusively at Boynton. Although the University has authorized students to receive care at other dental clinics, many are still unable to find timely appointments.
Ben Lewis, president of the UMN graduate student union, highlighted the urgency of the situation: “I’ve already heard stories of colleagues who have had serious operations scheduled at Boynton, sometimes for months, who are now unsure when they will be able to get the necessary care,” he said.
Reenshuler emphasized that the University is prioritizing urgent appointments and working with the union to facilitate the transition for affected patients and staff.
