HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hawaii’s only no-cost dental clinic is in danger of closing its doors. The Aloha Medical Mission’s Dental Clinic has hit financial hardship and apparently is months away from ending its service.
For 22 years, the Aloha Medical Mission has been treating patients who have dental needs, but don’t have the means to pay for it.
Patients like Tyler Migliorini-Bruce received a transformation that gave her a smile to be proud of.
“When they showed me when they gave me the mirror. I’m still kind of just awestruck by it. I’m just really grateful,” Migliorini-Bruce said. “This is my first time having a full smile since, you know, four years. It’s pretty incredible.”
Generous donors have kept the clinic operating, but two years ago, that funding stopped. Now, board members said the clinic has until June or possibly July before it runs out of money.
“With this reduction, and with COVID coming through, and inflation, everything is now costing us more. Rent has gone up supplies, dental supplies have gone up. But people’s problems or health problems haven’t stopped,” explained Mei-Ling Isaacs, Executive Director of Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic.
The clinic has six paid staff members and seven volunteer dentists. They treat an estimated 300 patients each month at their Kalihi clinic and offer prevention education at the schools.
“Changing people’s lives. That’s why we’re here. Giving them hope, pain-free hope,” Isaacs added.
Dr. Mendel Sato has been with the clinic for eight years. He said the clinic has been through financial crisis before, but this time it’s particularly dire.
“it would be sad to see a facility like this just to close. I would not feel very good, I think we were going to try to keep it going. Even if it said that a decreased capacity until we get back on our feet,” Dr. Sato said.
The clinic is exploring options to stay open and hopes the city and state grants will come through. With time and money running out, a solution may not happen soon enough.
“If money does not come through, we’re looking at perhaps adopting us out to another nonprofit. And the truth of it is all nonprofits have suffered. So we may or may not be able to do that,” said Isaacs.