Failure to Follow Up on Dental Consults for Denture Replacement
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow up on dental consult recommendations for a resident diagnosed with dysphagia who required new upper dentures. The resident reported difficulty chewing food due to the absence of upper dentures, which he stated were accidentally discarded by staff. Despite the resident's repeated requests for assistance in obtaining replacement dentures and the dentist's recommendations documented in two separate onsite dental consultations, there was no evidence in the clinical record that the facility took any action to address these recommendations. Interviews with staff confirmed that dental consults are provided to nursing staff, who are responsible for documenting and following up on recommendations. However, a review of the clinical record revealed no documentation or follow-up actions taken regarding the dental consults for this resident. The lack of follow-up resulted in the resident continuing to be without upper dentures, impacting his ability to eat properly.