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ER's are there to deal with medical emergencies. Going to an ER with a dental emergency may get treated with antibiotics if needed and at home instructions until dental services can be procured. Short of an abcess or some other serious dental problem that can not be otherwise addressed the ER would and should not be the treatment source.
This is always from a problem that has been brewing for weeks or months. Procrastination on the patient's part does not constitute an emergency on the dentist's part.
Next?
Okay, if you don't do or simply don't want to do emergency visits, then don't do them. That is your choice as a dentist and business person. The dentists that do offer them and get paid more for practicing after hours, they should not be upset if a patient takes them up on their offer. Why bother being upset if someone chooses to go that route? It's really not that big of a deal or that complicated. Is it common for people with superficial issues to use the emergency call to fix a fallen off cap? Maybe a celebrity or someone with money to burn. Yes, the problem stems from their procrastination, but why would a dentist hold that against someone in pain...? Everyone has different tolerances to pain. Dentists shouldn't advertise after hours emergency availability if it's really something they don't want to do.
And if the's rare case where a dentist made a mistake with a recent procedure somehow and it's causing the patient intolerable duress in the middle of the night then the dentist should be open to an emergency call. But some dentists don't offer an emergency contact number anyway.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteyC
ER's are there to deal with medical emergencies. Going to an ER with a dental emergency may get treated with antibiotics if needed and at home instructions until dental services can be procured. Short of an abcess or some other serious dental problem that can not be otherwise addressed the ER would and should not be the treatment source.
This seems obvious, though. If you suddenly developed symptoms from your dental issues that cause you great pain that you can't put off till later and your only haven is an ER, then go. They can try to help with antibiotics or pain managements till you can reach a dentist.
We can blame the victim for not being responsible for their situation ahead of time or we can have some compassion.
Okay, if you don't do or simply don't want to do emergency visits, then don't do them. That is your choice as a dentist and business person. The dentists that do offer them and get paid more for practicing after hours, they should not be upset if a patient takes them up on their offer. Why bother being upset if someone chooses to go that route? It's really not that big of a deal or that complicated. Yes, the problem stems from their procrastination, but why would a dentist hold that against someone in pain...? Everyone has different tolerances to pain. Dentists shouldn't advertise after hours emergency availability if it's really something they don't want to do.
And if the's rare case where a dentist made a mistake with a recent procedure somehow and it's causing the patient intolerable duress in the middle of the night then the dentist should be open to an emergency call. But some dentists don't offer an emergency contact number anyway.
What makes you think dentists make more money at 1am than they do at 1pm? I'm not sure what you mean by getting paid more.
I do take call at 3 local hospitals. Unless the patient has true infection with pus demonstrated on a CT scan, they are told to call my office in the morning. A "toothache" does not count. The usual fees apply.
An after hours problem related to recent dental work is a completely different story. Simply call your dentist. If your dentist does not have a way to get in touch with him/her after hours then find a new dentist. Every one of my patients is given my cell phone number. But I sure as hell don't leave it on my after hours phone recording. What are you referring to that advertises after hours treatment but doesn't provide it?
PBS Frontline did a recent episode concerning dental cost, and questioning whether dental care should be covered under Medicaid. Apparently Medicaid recipients with dental issues, go to emergency rooms for antibiotics and pain medication, because they can't afford a dentist. According to an ER doctor they interviewed, there's a sizable number of patients who show up repeatedly.
PBS Frontline did a recent episode concerning dental cost, and questioning whether dental care should be covered under Medicaid. Apparently Medicaid recipients with dental issues, go to emergency rooms for antibiotics and pain medication, because they can't afford a dentist. According to an ER doctor they interviewed, there's a sizable number of patients who show up repeatedly.
Medicaid is a problem for completely different reasons. Medicaid patients have ZERO copay or deductible. They pay NOTHING....whether its ER or in an office setting. They even have people who will come pick them up and take them to their doctors appointments. They have ZERO skin in the game so they don't care what anything costs. They just show up any time they please to the ER and demand treatment. In my training we even saw Medicaid moms bring their kids to the ER to fill out their school doctor's forms because they waited until the last minute. And it cost them nothing so they had no incentive to act responsibly.
What makes you think dentists make more money at 1am than they do at 1pm? I'm not sure what you mean by getting paid more.
An after hours problem related to recent dental work is a completely different story. Simply call your dentist. If your dentist does not have a way to get in touch with him/her after hours then find a new dentist. Every one of my patients is given my cell phone number. But I sure as hell don't leave it on my after hours phone recording.
My dental plan charges a palliative fee for any dentist I see that agrees to the emergency service. The dentist will then collect whatever from the insurance company for that service after my co-pay. If a dentist doesn't charge any kind of emergency fee, then that's on him or her, isn't it? You have the choice to do that if you wish, if you even do after hours work. If you give your cell # to a patient and tell them to call if there's an emergency, but then get mad when they call you in regards to an actual emergency and you chose to answer that call... well, I mean, that's on you, right? You can ignore the call. The patient will probably seek help elsewhere.
You don't do after hours work, but some dentists do and some charge for it - others don't. The dentistry practice across the street from me has a big sign offering emergency care for after hours (they close at 5PM like many practices) and in small print below, it mentions an urgent care fee is applicable. Don't advertise urgent care if you're not willing to do it, simple as that. Someone really in that much need of urgent care will probably find someone else then.
When my 18-year old dog had a stroke, I called a vet that offered urgent care on his answering line. He answered the emergency line, met me at his office, euthanized my dog, and charged me accordingly for using that service along with the euthanizing fee. I assume a dentist can do the same thing with extreme cases of dental emergencies if he or she chose to do so. One that doesn't even take my insurance told me to call them 24/7 if I needed any kind of service because they offered palliative services. I don't need it, but it was offered.
It's really got to be a bad, bad situation if someone needs immediate dental care, I assume.
This is always from a problem that has been brewing for weeks or months. Procrastination on the patient's part does not constitute an emergency on the dentist's part.
Next?
The same can be said for some medical conditions, also.
Yet, I have never heard of an emergency room turning away patients with a snippy......." you should have prevented this "
My dental plan charges a palliative fee for any dentist I see that agrees to the emergency service. The dentist will then collect whatever from the insurance company for that service after my co-pay. If a dentist doesn't charge any kind of emergency fee, then that's on him or her, isn't it? You have the choice to do that if you wish, if you even do after hours work. If you give your cell # to a patient and tell them to call if there's an emergency, but then get mad when they call you in regards to an actual emergency and you chose to answer that call... well, I mean, that's on you, right? You can ignore the call. The patient will probably seek help elsewhere.
You don't do after hours work, but some dentists do and some charge for it - others don't. The dentistry practice across the street from me has a big sign offering emergency care for after hours (they close at 5PM like many practices) and in small print below, it mentions an urgent care fee is applicable. Don't advertise urgent care if you're not willing to do it, simple as that. Someone really in that much need of urgent care will probably find someone else then.
The insurance after hours fee is about 20 bucks. Yes, 20 bucks. Not worth getting out of bed for that. I always answer my cell phone for patients. I don't get called very often (less than once a month). On rare cases, it's a patient who I saw a long time ago who never followed up on my recommendations. I told them this tooth needs to come out because it's not fixable and it will blow up on them at the worst time. So it's NOT "on me" when that happens and I feel no obligation to change my weekend plans since they were warned.
The same can be said for some medical conditions, also.
Yet, I have never heard of an emergency room turning away patients with a snippy......." you should have prevented this "
The emergency room DOES turn away patients if they are not emergencies and the patient is triaged as stable and able to be referred to a physician for outpatient follow-up.
The insurance after hours fee is about 20 bucks. Yes, 20 bucks. Not worth getting out of bed for that. I always answer my cell phone for patients. I don't get called very often (less than once a month). On rare cases, it's a patient who I saw a long time ago who never followed up on my recommendations. I told them this tooth needs to come out because it's not fixable and it will blow up on them at the worst time. So it's NOT "on me" when that happens and I feel no obligation to change my weekend plans since they were warned.
I've had doctors, dentists, and orthodontists who not only offer after hours and weekends but gladly have seen patients after hours even when the problem was brought about by the patient. That is truly great care and something that has always stood out to me about the doctor's character.
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