Failure to Provide Timely Dental Services for Resident with Denture Issues
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide timely dental services to a resident who required assistance with oral care. The resident was admitted with diagnoses including heart failure, weakness, and depression, and required partial to maximal assistance for activities of daily living. Assessments documented that the resident had broken or loosely fitting dentures, and the care plan included interventions to coordinate dental care and transportation as needed. Despite these documented needs, the resident continued to experience issues with loose dentures, as observed during an interview where the resident's dentures were visibly slipping, causing slurred speech and drooling. Interviews with facility staff revealed a breakdown in the process for identifying and addressing dental needs. The Social Services Director, responsible for arranging dental appointments, was not informed of the resident's denture concerns due to a lapse in communication from nursing staff and the assessment process. The DON stated that the expectation was for a referral to be made within the first few weeks of admission, but this did not occur. The Administrator confirmed that the facility should have been actively working to schedule a dental appointment and following up to ensure the resident was seen by a dental provider.