Failure to Ensure Timely Dental Follow-Up for Broken Tooth
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when the facility failed to ensure a follow-up dental appointment was made for a resident who had a tooth broken off at the gum line. The resident, who had a history of stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertension, and diabetes, was cognitively intact and independent in most activities of daily living except for transfers, for which a Hoyer lift was required. After an initial dental appointment where the dentist was unable to extract the root of the broken tooth, a referral for oral surgery was placed in the resident's chart. Subsequent documentation indicated the resident developed an infection at the site, was treated with antibiotics, and was to follow up with dentistry. Despite these events, the resident reported not having received any further information or scheduling for the necessary oral surgery to remove the root. The appointment scheduler stated that a message was left with the only surgical dental clinic accepting Medicaid, but the clinic's policy was to only return calls if an appointment could be scheduled. There was no evidence that further efforts were made to secure the required dental care, resulting in the resident continuing to experience issues with the broken tooth and self-managing symptoms with over-the-counter medication.
Plan Of Correction
F791 The facility failed to secure and follow up on an oral surgeon appointment for resident #29. Step 1: The facility ADON immediately assessed resident #29 with no negative effects noted. Completed on 6/13/25. Step 2: To identify other residents that have the potential to be affected, the DON or designee will audit resident medical records for residents seen by the facility dental provider (360 care) for any residents that might have had a referral for follow-up care with outside dental services. Completed on 6/27/25 with no negative findings. Resident #29 scheduled for oral surgeon consult at the Cleveland Dental Inst. 7/31/25 at 11am. Step 3: To prevent this from recurring, the facility DON will educate staff involved with resident appointments that if the facility scheduler or designee is unable to find dental services due to insurance being out of network for the resident, the facility will make arrangements to get the cost of dental services covered. Completed on 7/11/25. Step 4: To monitor and maintain ongoing compliance, the DON or designee will audit dental needs, including services and needed follow-up, weekly x4 weeks then monthly x2 months. Audits will begin 7/14/25. The results of the audits will be forwarded to the facility QAPI committee for further review and recommendations.