USA - Dental clinics try to fill care gap as poor turn to ERs

Dental clinics try to fill care gap as poor turn to ERs
Sunday, June 15, 2008 3:33 AM
By Suzanne Hoholik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The emergency room is no place to have an infected tooth pulled or bleeding gums treated, but people who can't afford regular visits to the dentist routinely show up at hospitals for care.
Some ERs have dentists or oral surgeons on staff or on call, but their job is treating patients with trauma injuries, not routine dental care.
About 1.2 million Ohioans lack medical insurance; an estimated 4 million lack dental coverage.
Most of those who show up at Ohio State University Medical Center with emergency dental problems could have prevented them with routine care, such as cleanings, said Dr. Richard Nelson, vice chairman of emergency medicine.
"The tooth is so decayed that it has to be pulled … but generally, we don't pull teeth in the emergency department," he said.
Instead, ER doctors might give patients pain medication or an antibiotic to treat an infection and tell them to see a dentist or go to a dental clinic the next day.
Ohio has about 120 dental clinics for low-income patients, including sites at Ohio State, Columbus Public Health and the East Central Health Center.

But clinics can be crowded, and it often takes several days to get in for an appointment. That has some people putting off care even longer, especially if drugs temporarily ease the pain.

Columbus Ohio is fluoridated:NYSCOF