Community Health Center Unveils New Dental Clinic

MCHC CEO Milton Cortez is seen here at the dental clinic unveiling, flanked by state Rep. Mahina Poepoe, left, and Zhantell Lindo

By Léo Azambuja
Friendly Isle residents have a new reason to smile. The nonprofit organization Molokai Community Health Center unveiled Saturday its newly renovated and expanded dental facility in Kaunakakai — almost five months ahead of schedule.
“This is going to be huge for the community,” MCHC Board President James Rarick told the crowd attending the grand opening. Like others, he too had been forced to seek dental care off-island.
The $2.4 million upgrading and expansion increased the numbers of dental chairs to six from the previous capacity of three. The current full-time dentist, Dr. Paula Gardner, will be joined by a part-time dentist, two full-time dental hygienists, plus specialty-care professionals on an as-needed schedule, allowing for a significant increase in dental services to the community.
“The plan is to bring two full time dentists to the practice,” project manager Terry Radi said, adding they have been trying to recruit more staff for the last two years, but the country has been experiencing a shortage of dental service providers.
More than 100 people attended the grand opening in Kaunakakai, including many dignitaries who had a role in the project. Besides all the good news, the event offered free shoyu chicken bento plates, drinks from Friends and Coffee, popcorn, dental hygiene kits and raffle tickets.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chair Kai Kahele was key in securing the initial $1.4 million in federal funds years ago, when he was serving as a congressman. He said he wanted to thank MCHC staff for serving thousands of residents on Molokai.
Radi said that initial funding allowed MCHC to start the process of renovating the dental building. The remaining funds came from a $350,000 donation from Hawaii Dental Service and a $660,000 grand from Maui County.
“Hawaii Dental Service has been so generous with us over the past few years,” she said.
And then County Councilmember Keani Rawlins-Fernandez heard MCHC was expanding the program, and helped to secure funding to help cover expenses attached to doubling operations for the next two years, according to Radi.
State Sen. Lynn DeCoite, State Rep. Mahina Poepoe, and Zhantell Lindo, representing Rawlins-Fernandez, also attended the grand opening and spoke to the public.
Radi said the actual work on expanding the clinic started four years ago, navigating fund-seeking, permits and design, among other things.
Last year, as the construction phase was approaching, she said they were trying to figure out how to keep services open during the renovations. Coincidentally, last November, Dr. Gregory Davis retired from private practice and closed his office near Paddlers Restaurant and Bar in Kaunakakai.
“We talked to him about renting his space,” Radi said. “Then he donated his old equipment to us, and we have been operating out of that facility while we have been under construction.”
The temporary solution came with challenges; the equipment was limited, and the facility was aged.
“We just couldn’t keep up with the number of patients that we have. So, we are all just super excited to get out of that location and into our new location where we have doubled the capacity for seeing the patients,” Radi said.
MCHC signed the contract for construction in December 2024, and started construction in early January 2025. The building was planned to be ready by the end of this year, but Radi said MCHC CEO Milton Cortez asked if they could cut the construction time in half.
“Unfortunately, it just couldn’t be done in six months. But it was done in eight months, and we are pretty proud of that. So, we did push up the project a good four-and-a-half months,” Radi said.
MCHC dental program currently serves about 2,300 patients, according to Radi. Now that the new facility is open, she said the number of patients might increase to up to 3,000.
Because MCHC is a nonprofit organization, Cortez said, they cannot refuse service based on financial situation.
“Our business model makes sure that we are looking at taking care of people without insurance, people that can’t pay. We can’t, by law, turn them away,” Cortez said.
Visit www.molokaichc.org for more information.