Failure to Schedule Oral Surgery Following Dental Referral
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide necessary dental services for a resident by not scheduling oral surgery in a timely manner as recommended by the dentist. The resident was observed to have broken and missing teeth, and the care plan identified a risk for oral/dental health problems, requiring staff assistance with oral care and dental consults as needed. A dental exam summary recommended extraction of all remaining teeth and included a referral to an oral surgeon. Nursing documentation confirmed a referral was to be sent to a specific facial surgeon, with instructions to seek another oral surgeon if the first would not accept the resident. However, an LPN who previously worked in medical records reported being unable to find any information confirming that an appointment with an oral surgeon was ever made, indicating a lapse in follow-through on the dental referral.