A study released this week found that between 2009 and 2011, at least 84,000 people annually went to Ohio emergency departments seeking care for dental pain (Source: “Thousands still using ERs for dental problems,” Cincinnati Enquirer, Oct. 8, 2014)
According to the UHCAN Ohio study, Medicaid ends up paying millions of dollars for people seeking emergency help for broken teeth, cavities, gum disease or abscesses left untreated too long. Often, the treatment fails to solve the underlying dental problem.
“The patients most likely to be using the emergency room for dental care are the least likely to have regular access to a dentist,” said David Maywhoor ,project director for Dental Access Now, an arm of UHCAN Ohio, a health-care advocacy organization in Columbus.
According to the study, from January 2010 until June 2011, dental treatment in emergency rooms cost $188.5 million in Ohio. About half of the visits are billed to Medicaid or Medicare; the other half are paid out of pocket.