DENT’s 3rd Year of Success

The Dental Emergencies Needing Treatment (DENT) Program has almost completed their 3rd year of connecting Apple Health patients to a dentist for emergent dental needs while preventing unnecessary and costly ER visits, and wow has this program grown. In 2016 we we scheduled 2786 appointments for clients with dental issues.

At our start in July 2014, there were 51 monthly dental appointments being offered through DENT, and this year we consistently offered over 200 appointments each month. This is in large part due to the work our DENT Program Manager Karen Davis has put into recruiting more dentists to participate in the Dental Provider Network by making appointments available to Apple Health patients – that number has grown from 22 participating dentist at the start of the program to 71 today.

Even more exciting from this year was a drop in our no-show rate. Nationally, the the now show rate for dental appointments is between 15-35%. Each patient who is referred to DENT receives personal coaching from a Community Health Worker on what to expect and how to prepare for their appointment. In on recent example, our DENT CHW Rita, worked with a young single mother of two who had severe dental decay in her front teeth. She had extreme anxiety which had kept her away from the dentist for 10 years, but the pain in her teeth had driven her to the ER multiple times. She told Rita that she was so afraid of the dentist that she would prefer to just go under, have all of her teeth taken out, and be given dentures. Rita worked hard to build a relationship that would make this patient feel safe and supported, answering all of her questions, dispelling myths, and encouraging her to take charge of her health. Leading up to the appointment, this young woman sent Rita multiple texts and calls about how nervous she was and how she didn’t think she could do it, but Rita’s support and encouragement helped to get her through the door, and to successfully treating the pain in her mouth. This individual attention and coaching has kept the no show rate of DENT patients at 7% in 2016, which means better access to care for patients, and dollars saved for providers.

DENT’s successes even achieved national attention in 2016, when Karen Davis was asked to present at NASHP’s 29th Annual State Health Policy Conference’s Oral Health Preconference. We couldn’t be more proud of the achievements of the DENT team.

Question: Does basic Medicare cover regular dental visits?

Question:

Does basic Medicare cover regular dental visits?
A)    Yes
B)    No
C)    I’m not sure…

If you answered A or C, you aren’t alone, as a recent Washington Dental Service Foundation survey showed 51% of respondents in Spokane believe Medicare covers dental. However, you would be wrong.

Correct answer: B) No, basic Medicare does not cover dental, and a lot of folks entering retirement are learning that the hard way. A recent article in The Spokesman Review talks about what steps folks approaching retirement should take for their oral health.

Good oral health relates to a lot more than just our teeth; our ability to chew effects the nutrition we receive, our ability to smile effects our confidence, and chronic conditions like Type 2 Diabetes can exacerbate dental decay.

Organizations like Smile Spokane, WDSF’s The Mighty Mouth, and our own DENT program are helping connect folks to the dental care they need, but for lasting change, we need a health care system that includes our mouths as part of our overall health. That’s why the BHT ACH has set full integration of Oral, Physical, and Behavioral health systems as one of our region’s main priorities. 

Read the Spokesman article to learn more:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/aug/08/financial-decay-dental-care-can-threaten-retiremen/

 

DENT Story: “…for the first time in months, I was able to eat solid food.”

Christina, a student at WSU and a Apple Health patient, had a filling fall out in late November. She made the calls and found an Apple Health accepting dentist, but had to wait two months for the appointment.

When the day finally came, her dentist noticed two other teeth that needed work done, in addition to the lost filling. Even though those two teeth had not been bothering her, the dentist chose to work on them instead of addressing the missing filling. Over the course of the appointment, the doctor ended up injuring a bone around Christina’s eye socket with his pneumatic drill, causing damage to her optic nerve and resulting in her vision being severely affected in her left eye. Christina spent several days in hospital following this procedure, and after recovering she understandably was too scared to go back to his clinic.

Now in even more pain, Christina began to make the calls again looking for another Apple Health accepting dentist. The earliest available appointment was May 30th, nearly four months away! Unable to chew solid foods and in tremendous pain, Christina was desperate for relief. One clinic told her she could try an emergency appointment to have a dentist extract the teeth, but this seemed extreme when at first she just needed the filling replaced.

A provider at WSU’s Health and Wellness Services referred Christina to DENT. She called Rita, and was able to get an appointment that same day! Her new Dentist replaced the missing filling that had been plaguing her for months, and together they made a treatment plan to repair the two additional teeth injured by the previous dentist. Here is what Christina has to say about her experience:

I honestly cannot tell you how incredibly grateful I am to you for your help. I was nearly crying with happiness after my appointment because last night, for the first time in months, I was able to eat solid food. I cannot begin to say how grateful I am. [My dentist] is completely wonderful and I honestly cannot even begin to tell you how thankful I am to have been put in touch with him and especially, to have been scheduled in for a same-day appointment. So thank you so much and please pass on my gratitude to the amazing woman responsible for scheduling me! If I could give you all a big hug, I certainly would! I owe you my health and my sanity….Better Health Together gave me a lifeline and I could not be any more grateful for it.  

Christina, we are so happy we could help!

Your child is healthier with a healthy mouth

February is Children’s Dental Health Month. Celebrate by keeping your kids’ mouths healthy. Tooth decay is an infection that can cause unnecessary pain. 

Severe decay makes it hard for your child to eat, sleep, talk and learn. Children with cavities in baby teeth are 3x more likely to get cavities in adult teeth

What causes cavities?

It’s a simple formula: Germs + Food + Time on Teeth = Cavities

We all have germs in our mouths. After eating, the germs make acid that attacks teeth for 20 to 40 minutes. These acid attacks cause cavities.

It’s not just what you eat that causes decay, it’s also how often you eat. Drinking (except water) and snacking frequently means teeth are constantly exposed to cavity-causing acid attacks.

It’s not only sugary foods that cause tooth decay. High carbohydrate foods (bagels and crackers) and sticky foods (dried fruit and gummy snacks) also lead to cavities.

The good news? Cavities are preventable.

It’s important to:

  • Floss daily as soon as teeth touch.

  • Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

  • Choose tooth-healthy snacks (cheese, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables).

  • Have regular oral health checkups.

To further prevent cavities:

  • Ask your child’s dentist about sealants, a protective coating for hard-to-clean teeth.

  • Ask your child’s dentist or physician about fluoride varnish to prevent or reverse early decay.

And don’t forget to set an example for your child and take care of your own mouth.

Learn more tips at TheMightyMouth.org.

DENT Story: From Dental Emergency to Family Oral Health

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A 42-year-old Marshallese gentleman recently moved to Spokane with his wife and four children. Suffering from a very painful tooth on his lower jaw, the man made many calls to area providers. Even though he and his entire family are Apple Health eligible, providers told the man that they would not accept his insurance. Thus, he finally went to the ER with pain and infection—where he was referred to the DENT program. 

DENT staff was able to schedule him at a DENT Provider Network participating office for his emergency dental issue. In addition, the office agreed to accept his entire family and offered permanent patient status, primarily due to the children. The kids are scheduled after the holidays for comprehensive care, which includes cleanings and preventive care. 

Due to becoming patients of record, both adults will also qualify for comprehensive care.  This is tremendous as this family will go to their family dentist instead of going to the ER and will learn about and improve their oral health to avoid future problems.

The man shared that he and his family have been helped in many ways during the short time they have been here. “We have been so blessed by my getting a job to support my family and given resources for medical and dental care in offices where they would accept my state insurance.