Lake Placid, N.Y.-based Adirondack Health Dental Care could close its doors April 28 after grappling with staffing shortages and financial challenges, the Adirondack Daily Enterprise reported April 27.
Adirondack Health submitted a closure plan for its dental center to the state health department Feb. 1 and is preparing to shut it down despite the plan being under review. The hospital cannot implement its closure plan until it receives written approval from the state, but an employee told the news organization that the hospital has been "pushing hard" to close the facility by May 1.
The dental facility has been searching for a dental hygienist for the last three years, the Adirondack Daily Enterprise reported. Matt Scollin, the director of communications for Adirondack Health, told the news organization that the hospital's annual loss from the dental practice is approximately $350,000 per year.
Mr. Scollin said the hospital is waiting to hear back from the health department about the next steps and logistics for the closure. The plan was still under review as of April 26, a health department official told the news organization.
The hospital did not confirm to the news organization whether the dental center will still close after April 28 if the state health department does not respond to the proposed closure plan.
Adirondack Health sent a letter to dental patients in March to notify them of the possible closure. An employee told the news organization that there are few options nearby for patients to receive dental care.
The dental center serves about 2,000 patients.