The Harvard School of Dental Medicine is laying off staff at its dental center in Boston, The Harvard Crimson reported Nov. 10.
The layoffs come after Harvard permanently closed its dental clinic in Cambridge, Mass., in October, citing financial constraints and damage the clinic sustained from a recent fire. The school’s Boston clinic absorbed the staff and operations of the Cambridge clinic after the closure.
William Giannobile, DDS, dean of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, announced the layoffs in an email to staff. He said the layoffs were the result of an assessment of the spatial capacity and staffing needs of the Boston clinic, which is located in the city’s Longwood neighborhood.
“We know the reality is that we will not be able to retain the same level of staffing as we did for both practices in the single Longwood location,” Dr. Giannobile said in the email.
The dental center currently employs 80 staff members across a variety of roles, but it is currently unclear which or how many positions will be affected by the layoffs. It is also unknown when the layoffs will take place. Staff members told The Crimson they have received little communication from the school.
The Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers is reportedly working with the school’s human resources department to finalize details. The union did not respond to The Crimson‘s requests for comment.
A spokesperson for the school also declined to comment due to a policy against commenting on personnel matters.
News of the layoffs come after the university conducted layoffs at other schools, including its School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the Harvard Kennedy School and the School of Public Health.
