Dentist who accepts HIGH RISK CATEGORIES

stevenR84

Can anybody recommend a good dentist that accepts medical cards, and deals with people in high risk categories like methadone patients. Thanks

Ten of Swords

Try asking here

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=627

stevenR84

NO I mean they wont replace a filling becaUse it fell out . But the welfare told me that if you fall under HIGH RISK PATIENT regarding teeth, they must .

Turtwig

Your Face wrote: »

Is it safe?

Sure it is. It's inflammable.

Hi Steven.

Firstly, all dentists treat “high risk” patients, universal cross infection control protocols means there are no crossovers with instruments/materials, so no risk of cross infection.

Though I make no assumptions as to your medical status, an earlier poster mentioned Hep B, all staff are required to be vaccinated against Hep.

Where you may run in to problems is your expectation of free treatment. The Social Welfare gave you wrong advice, they cannot dictate what is charged for treatment outside of exams and subsided cleanings. Social Welfare have no influence over what is charged for fillings, nor can they say that cleanings should be provided free of charge.

The HSE on the other hand did provide free treatment for those effected by the blood transfusion scandal, but I doubt they can impose treatment payment terms on dentists providing treatment on medical card scheme outside the normal terms of this agreement.

Steven, your best hope of receiving free treatment is through a HSE clinic, if you have a Med card contact your local Department. But if you visit a private dentist, then you pay like everyone else.

SM35

Hi Steven,

All dentists will treat patients with high risk e.g. Hepatitis C - as previously mentioned - patients are all treated as if they are infectious.

Those who are deemed as high risk with a medical card are supposed to be able to have additional treatments over and above the normal entitlements - e.g. fillings as needed, and cleanings. A dentist can apply for approval to the local principal dental surgeon in the HSE for further treatments on behalf of a patient.

The problem comes with the administration of the scheme - there is just no joined up thinking in the HSE - my own experience is usually receiving approval for various patients, sometimes involving significant time and costs, and when I seek payment for the previously approved treatments, I am not paid in full, and then my receptionist needs to send letters over and back in an effort to get paid for treatment. Many dentists just do not carry out additional treatments on the Medical Card as result of the hassle - unfortunately it is the patients that bear the brunt of this, but many dentists, myself included, are just no longer prepared to subsidise the failings of scheme that is not administered correctly and which is not fit for purpose.

You are better off approaching your local HSE clinic and requesting treatment by a HSE employed dentist.

stevenR84

Thank you so much for replying.. I must stress that I never meant a HIGH RISK patient as in that I@m a high risk.. NO! MT teeth are in a high risk category because I'm taking methadone each day. I Never injected and I'm 40, so I dont have hepatitis, HIV or any diseases. Sure I actually try to workout 5 night s a week, and am planning to go back to college soon. I just wouldnt want to go back unless my teeth looked on point.
And I do have good teeth, everyone compliments me on them, cause they are so straight and white enough. But herein lies the problem.

I am on the labour until I finish my college course and get a job in engineering. So, 2 private dentists I tried so far this year (The square dentist, and Aylsebury).. They both said on the day, "yeah no probs, we'll just send this off to get approved, and then when it comes back, we can replace ur filling that fell out (a tiny white filling on my front tooth, like that is the most important place with your teeth, and they're saying they cannot replace it unless I pay 60euro because it's a replacement filling.. What difference does it make??)#

And they said when i asked why they couldn't treat me a couple weeks later, That the medical card doesnt cover cleanings, and they dont cover fillings that need replacing unless it's 5 years since it fell out (FFS if i left it 5 years I'd have a half a bloody tooth left). I swear their LOGIC is INSANE...

The crazy thing about all this is that I do not need anything else done with me teeth, as i brush twice a day and floss in the morning and mouthwash. And i only ever go the DR if i'm dying. So I dont use up any of the health resources. i HAVE 6 TAKEHOMES, and am on 18mls of methadone/day... And I am willing to pay to get a cleaning and a filling replacement done if there is no other option.

"You are better off approaching your local HSE clinic and requesting treatment by a HSE employed dentist."
SM35 what do you mean by this?^^^^ i live in Tallaght, so where do I go to find my local HSE clinic, as I will do anything to get my teeth and keep them in good shape???? Please I woyuld appreciate your input on this matter seen as you are a dentist.

Thank you

Foweva Awone

Might be worth contacting the Trinity Dental University Hospital, I've heard of them taking on similar cases for recovering addicts/alcoholics.

is_that_so

Here is a list of HSE health centres in your general area.

https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/lho/dublinsw/health-centres/

Op, the filling does not have to be out for 5 years for it to be replaced free of charge, the rule is that the HSE will only pay for a filling in a particular tooth once in any 5 year period. So if your filling was placed within the last 5 years, the HSE will not pay any dentist to do it again until 5 years has elapsed. The HSE have records and dates of all dental treatments provided to you on their database.Your dentists applied for approval to replace within the 5 year period, unless the HSE agrees to this, your dentist would not get paid for the treatment provided to you under Med Card dental scheme by the HSE.

In the absence of any serious communicable disease, you are not a high risk patient, in fact based on potential decay rate, a person with a high sugar diet and/or poor oral hygiene is at a higher risk level for dental problems then you are.

stevenR84

Foweva Awone wrote: »

Might be worth contacting the Trinity Dental University Hospital, I've heard of them taking on similar cases for recovering addicts/alcoholics.

Thanks I will give them a buzz on tuesday.

stevenR84

is_that_so wrote: »

Here is a list of HSE health centres in your general area.

https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/lho/dublinsw/health-centres/

Thanks so much.
I've heard that there's a dentist in merchant's Quay that takes care of addicts teeth who are homeless.. I have my own flat, but dyu think I should try him, as an addict?

stevenR84

Dav010 wrote: »

Op, the filling does not have to be out for 5 years for it to be replaced free of charge, the rule is that the HSE will only pay for a filling in a particular tooth once in any 5 year period. So if your filling was placed within the last 5 years, the HSE will not pay any dentist to do it again until 5 years has elapsed. The HSE have records and dates of all dental treatments provided to you on their database.Your dentists applied for approval to replace within the 5 year period, unless the HSE agrees to this, your dentist would not get paid for the treatment provided to you under Med Card dental scheme by the HSE.

In the absence of any serious communicable disease, you are not a high risk patient, in fact based on potential decay rate, a person with a high sugar diet and/or poor oral hygiene is at a higher risk level for dental problems then you are.

I know this, that's why I'm asking for advice. And as fort the high risk category, it's not just the fact that it's bad fort your teeth as in the liquid, the side effects of methadone are that you dont produce as much saliva as a normal person, hence why it affects your teeth badly. I'm always drinking water to make up for this. Seriously people with **** diets just need to moderate their bad foos and start taking care of their teeth, other wise they would be in the high risk category like methadone patients are.. WE cannot help what it does to us, and I'm off heroin 7 years now, and I'm trying to get a good engineering job, so I really wanna keep my teeth looking good.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

stevenR84 wrote: »

Seriously people with **** diets just need to moderate their bad foos and start taking care of their teeth, other wise they would be in the high risk category like methadone patients are.. WE cannot help what it does to us,.

I am guessing the irony and cognitive dissonance is lost here