Penalty

6 days payment denial

The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Summary

The facility failed to ensure that a resident was evaluated by a dentist after repeated requests and documented oral health concerns. The resident reported ongoing tooth pain and had been using an over-the-counter numbing agent for relief while waiting for a dental evaluation. Despite the resident and his family requesting a dental visit during care plan meetings and through direct communication with staff, there was no documentation that the resident was seen by a dentist over a period of several months. Physician's orders and nursing notes indicated that a referral to the dentist was made and the resident was added to the in-house dentist list, but no follow-up or dental evaluation occurred during this time. As a result of the lack of timely dental care, the resident developed a tooth infection, which led to swelling and required antibiotic treatment. The resident's physician and nurse practitioner both confirmed that the resident should have been evaluated by a dentist, and that the prolonged oral pain and chipped tooth could have contributed to the infection. The facility's policy stated that it would assist residents in arranging on-site health services, including dental care, as needed per resident request, but this was not followed in this case.