Failure to Coordinate and Provide Dental Services
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to assist a resident in obtaining routine and emergency dental care after a dental assessment indicated the need for seven teeth to be extracted due to broken root tips and an abscess. Despite the assessment and a physician's referral for dental services, the resident's care plan did not address dental needs, and there was no evidence of follow-up or coordination for the required dental procedures. The resident reported ongoing issues with broken and missing teeth, as well as an infection, and stated that he had not received information about follow-up exams or treatment. He had communicated his dental concerns to both the physician and the social worker, but no action was documented. Interviews with facility staff, including the Regional Social Services Consultant, Administrator, and DON, confirmed that the responsibility for dental referrals and follow-ups rested with the social worker. However, the staff acknowledged that the resident had not been seen for the necessary dental care since the initial assessment. The facility's policy required the Director of Social Services to coordinate referrals for outside services, but this process was not followed for the resident in question, resulting in a lack of timely dental care.