F0790

D

Failure to Provide Timely Dental Follow-Up and Pain Management

Emporia, Kansas Survey Completed on 03-04-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide timely dental care and follow-up for a resident with documented dental problems and pain. The resident’s MDS showed intact cognition and a need for staff assistance with personal and oral hygiene, with no oral or dental issues identified on that assessment. The ADL Care Plan documented that the resident had his own teeth in poor condition, with caries and missing teeth, and required setup to partial assistance with oral care, with dental appointments to be arranged as scheduled, needed, or requested. A CAA for ADLs did not identify or document any signs or symptoms of dental problems or pain despite the resident’s broken, decayed, and missing teeth.

Interdisciplinary notes documented that the resident was seen by a dentist for a lost tooth and mouth pain, with findings of extensive gross caries and recommendations for staff to brush the resident’s teeth and for the resident to return for fillings and extractions, with extractions to be done by an oral surgeon. Later, a dental hygienist’s exam at the facility documented pain in the upper mouth, moderate inflammation, and the need for further evaluation by a dentist. The resident reported broken and missing teeth, pain in the upper jaw, and difficulty eating due to tooth pain, and observation confirmed missing, decayed, and broken teeth. The Administrative Nurse verified the prior dental appointment and recommendations but could not find any documentation of a follow-up appointment or reasons why it was not made, and confirmed there was no documentation in the medical record, despite the facility’s dental services policy requiring timely referral, documentation of refusals, and documentation of interventions while awaiting dental services.