Across her decades-long career in dentistry, Linda Maytan has focused on serving patients with special needs, especially adults with intellectual and development challenges. She’s more accustomed to opening doors than closing them.

For the last few months, Maytan has shown up at the Hope Dental Clinic in Dayton’s Bluff to help close out the long-running nonprofit, only to be met by a prospective patient seeking care. Turning each person away has caused “tremendous personal heartbreak,” said Maytan, the nonprofit’s former board chair and dental policy director for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, in an open letter issued last week to former patients and fellow providers.

The grant-funded, volunteer-driven Hope Dental Clinic ceased operation on Dec. 12, while keeping hope alive at the time that it could yet reopen. After more than 60 years of providing free dental care to those in need, it has now officially called it quits, filed for bankruptcy and placed its equipment and furniture up for online auction.

The free dental clinic saw 2,500 patients last year but could not survive the loss in funding from a major foundation backer, as well as rising costs and a shifting landscape for charitable giving.

On March 20, Maytan issued an open letter to partners, volunteers and other friends of the dental clinic noting the “current philanthropic and economic environment forced the board to make the excruciating decision to close HDC. There simply was not enough financial backing to meet the day-to-day cash flow required to keep the clinic doors open. The ‘last straw’ was the absence of renewed funding from a formerly perpetual funding foundation.”

While several organizations offered varying degrees of assistance, the board did not receive “any legitimate, comprehensive business proposals,” she wrote. “Our last-ditch efforts seeking an angel funder were unsuccessful.”

The nonprofit filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection on Feb. 25, and the court has appointed a trustee to complete the business closeout. Patients have been individually notified about how to access their HDC dental records and imaging through the records custodian, Cariend.

Bidding has opened for equipment and furniture, which have been listed for online auction at tinyurl.com/HOPEAUCTION2025, with bids beginning at a dime.

“The Board understands and regrets the magnitude of this abrupt closure for patients, interns, students, residents, educators, providers and the community,” Maytan wrote. “No one bore the burden of this more than the HDC staff, who unexpectedly lost their jobs one Thursday afternoon right before the holidays.”

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