St. Mary Health Center forced to leave property after offering years of complimentary dental care

St. Mary Health Center in Wilmington, NC is facing the possibility of closing its doors soon. The center offers free emergency dental services to low-income patients in the area. Executive director Laura Vinson expressed feeling blindsided after receiving a letter from the St. Mary Basilica, where the health center has been located for decades, instructing them to vacate the premises.

The letter from the basilica, sent in April, stated that the church needed the rooms currently used by the Dental Clinic and asked the center to make arrangements to relocate. Despite purchasing an insurance plan in the hopes of securing more time, the center was still asked to leave by July 1. Vinson explained that they had been misled into believing there was a plan to help them stay until a new location could be secured.

Volunteer Kathy Smith, who has been with the center for a decade, found the situation shocking and expressed concern for both patients and volunteers. Patients are worried about where they will receive care next, and the closure will also impact medical and dental students who work at the center.

Vinson mentioned the disappointment in seeing the outreach work of the basilica being disregarded. Despite attempts to contact the Basilica and Diocese of Raleigh for their perspective on the situation, no response was received. The center is now actively seeking a new location and is asking for any available properties to be considered as potential new sites. The uncertain future of St. Mary Health Center has left many in the community saddened by the potential loss of this valuable resource.