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Yes, I'm currently in a bad spot dental wise, but I'm also curious.
If a person's untreated dental issue develops into complications, it then becomes a medical issue, possibly life-threatening. Would an ER/hospital be obligated to treat the underlying cause? What else is somebody supposed to do if they have no insurance and no money?
Yes, I'm currently in a bad spot dental wise, but I'm also curious.
If a person's untreated dental issue develops into complications, it then becomes a medical issue, possibly life-threatening. Would an ER/hospital be obligated to treat the underlying cause? What else is somebody supposed to do if they have no insurance and no money?
At the hospital I work at they might treat you for it, only if there is a dentist on call. Insurances typically don't pay for dental claims, even if you were seen at the ER for it.
Now about having no insurance and no money, chances are the ER will give you a prescription and send you in your merry way.
I have a MASSIVE toothache right now and while I have dental insurance there is no way in hell I can afford the co-insurance for the procedures I need to get done. I wish I could just go to the ER and get it fixed but I must suffer until I can afford to see a dentist. Effed up, isn't it?
I thought someone with a dental emergency would contact their dentist directly. I was in the middle of getting a root canal and two different times got pounding terrible pain in the tooth during the root canal process. I called the doctors office after hours, he called me back and met me at the office in the evening and opened up the temporary filling to release the pressure.
Looks like an ER would drain an abcess---likely the only medical emergency (not dental emergency such as a broken tooth)---give pain meds and antibiotics (but do no dental work), then refer the patient to a dentist:
Here I have yet to see a dental chair in an ER hospital. ER's are not equipped to do dental work, they'll give you some aspirin and then refer you to a dentist.
It's like a motorcycle going into a Ferrari dealer for mechanical work, both are vehicles but each place is not qualified or equipped to do the others work.
Look for an emergency dental clinic in your area, they are becoming more popular.
I had a dental emergency once and went to the emergency room but I was not in my home state.
They gave me an antibiotic because a tooth had impacted and pain medication that would last until I got back to my home state and went to my dentist.
At the hospital I work at they might treat you for it, only if there is a dentist on call. Insurances typically don't pay for dental claims, even if you were seen at the ER for it.
Now about having no insurance and no money, chances are the ER will give you a prescription and send you in your merry way.
I have a MASSIVE toothache right now and while I have dental insurance there is no way in hell I can afford the co-insurance for the procedures I need to get done. I wish I could just go to the ER and get it fixed but I must suffer until I can afford to see a dentist. Effed up, isn't it?
If it's not an abscess and something surface, pack it with cloves
Yes, I'm currently in a bad spot dental wise, but I'm also curious.
If a person's untreated dental issue develops into complications, it then becomes a medical issue, possibly life-threatening. Would an ER/hospital be obligated to treat the underlying cause? What else is somebody supposed to do if they have no insurance and no money?
They do treat dental emergencies. Every hospital has dentists and oral surgeons on staff.
However, they are not there for general dentistry just because a patient might be in pain. In those cases, they will give appropriate RX and send you on your way to see a general dentist.
If its a emergency hospitals here have dentist on call. Not saying it would go beyond emergency treatment tho.As to paying they will charge just like any other case. but we also have city clinic that has dentist to do normal dental less cosmetic procedures.
Yes, I'm currently in a bad spot dental wise, but I'm also curious.
If a person's untreated dental issue develops into complications, it then becomes a medical issue, possibly life-threatening. Would an ER/hospital be obligated to treat the underlying cause? What else is somebody supposed to do if they have no insurance and no money?
Are you on Medicaid ?? If not, why not ? Some (not all) States provide adult dental care to Medicaid recipients.
States have flexibility to determine what dental benefits are provided to adult Medicaid enrollees. While most states provide at least emergency dental services for adults, less than half of the states currently provide comprehensive dental care. There are no minimum requirements for adult dental coverage."
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