Failure to Provide Routine Dental Services and Lack of Documentation
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident, who had been in the facility since late 2019 and was cognitively intact, reported never having seen a dentist during their stay. The resident's care plan, initiated in early 2021, documented broken teeth and likely cavities, but there was no evidence in the medical record that dental services had been provided to address these issues. Interviews with the DON revealed that the facility uses a program called Healthdrive to enroll residents for dental services, and the DON initially stated that the resident had refused these services. However, upon review, there was no documentation to support that the resident had refused dental care. The resident also denied ever declining dental services. Additionally, records showed that the facility was deducting a monthly premium from the resident's personal funds for dental services, yet there was no documentation of services provided or refusals.