ER Treatment

Specialties Emergency

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This may not belong here but I couldn't think of anywhere else to post this.

About 3 weeks ago I went to the ER for tooth pain at about 3 in the morning. I couldn't wait any longer and I couldn't get in to see my regular dentist for another two weeks and I had put off going to the ER because the one we have here...well..the doctors are RUDE.

When I checked in, the nurse said "You know we don't treat dental emergencies?" I was shocked because my husband went there months before at the advice of his dentist because he coudln't get in to see his dentist either at the time and his face was swollen and they didn't treat him that way.

Well, after I was taken to a bed a doctor came out and stood across the room from me and said "We don't treat tooth pain here. Why don't you go see your dentist?" I told him that I had an appt but the soonest I could get in was in two weeks and I only need an antibiotic." He just stared at me for a minute or two, huffed and puffed and walked over to me and looked in my mouth, stood back far away from me again and said "I don't see anything wrong. Your face isn't swollen. What are you doing here? We don't treat tooth pain." and he walked away and back into his little room where he was before and started watching TV.

My husband was very upset and so was I. My husband then said "Why is he treating my wife with such disdain? Such disrespect?" And the nurse that was there said "You're on medi-cal." We looked at eachother and then looked at her and said "That's why you won't help me because you think I'm on medi-cal?" She said "Well yes. Medi-cal won't pay for that type of treatment here." I looked at her again and said "Check my chart. I'm not on medi-cal. I have blue shield/blue cross." She just stared at me in amazement.

I could not believe that they were treating me according to the type of insurance they thought I had!!!! I work for social services and they knew that.

I did get in to see my dentist soon after that and he prescribed an antibiotic for me which worked but yesterday I came home early from work because all the sudden my tooth flared up again and now my face is swollen, I haven't slept, and I'm in terrible pain. Everything I've taken I've vomitted up all night long and my husband begged me to go to the ER but I refuse to. I do have to see an oral surgeon but I can't get in there until the 21st. So today I am going to look around and find a dentist who can see me and maybe get rid of the swelling because the antibiotics are not working right now.

I just don't understand why some doctors are so rude and others are just happy to help. The happy ones make me happy that I went and got treatment. It's not often that I go to the ER either. Once in a blue moon but c'mon!! Are some doctors like this no matter where they go?

Sorry for the long story but I just had to get it out. :angryfire

How horrible. A true breakdown in the "system". Seems like your regular MD could prescribe ABX. Also, is that what made you sick - the meds?

I dont know how long that you have been on antibiotics but if you are having problems COMMUNICATE this with your doctor. Otherwise they have no idea of knowing their treatment is not working. Treatments arent perfect--sometimes antibiotics have to be changed.

Sometimes nurses in the ER dont mean anything by saying that but often ERs do not treat dental emergencies but they can treat the infection or pain. This can save a lot of money for you and time. You wait 6 hours and have to pay a few hundred dollars only for the doctor to say I am sorry I cant really do much but give you an antibiotic or pain medication--both of which you can get usually faster and cheaper through your family doctor.

Having said that some ERs do treat dental emergencies--call them up perhaps but I would really communicate with my dentist.

Specializes in Med/Surg, PACU, ICU, CCU,ED,ENDO.

Two things: 1) if your regular dentist won't handle you dental emergency at least by the next regular business day it's time for a new dentist!

2) The ER staff needs to be report to the hospital administration at the minimum, if not the state regulatory folks. Federal law states it is illegal to descriminate, or modify/withhold treatment based on a persons ability to pay. There was no breakdown in communication these folk willfully broke the law!

Paul

I agree with the above.

Ask to see your PMD for pain if the dentist can't see you.

Find a dentist who will see you for emergencies. Mine has left his son's soccer game on a Sunday afternoon to help me out.

Call the hospital administration and report your treatment to them. That is just unjust.

Also call or write to the head of the ER service that provides physicians to this hospital. Their contract won't last long with a hospital if things don't change.

Specializes in PCU, Critical Care, Observation.

I agree about the dentist...if he won't see you in an emergency, then get another dentist. My dentist returned my call on a Sunday even though he was out on a boat. Not only did he return the call, but he called the pharmacy directly to order me an antibiotic & pain meds. A good dentist is priceless!

As far as the ER, I understand the doctor was rude...but if they don't treat tooth pain, then they don't treat tooth pain. Call your primary.

You should report the ER experience to the adminstrator of that hospital. You should also get a new dentist. I cannot believe that the ER doc did that to you. That is such crap!!!! hope you feel better soon!!

You're right. If they don't treat tooth pain or anything along those lines then it's fine by me. But they did not have to be so rude about it. What gets me is that they've treated dental pain before (my husband) and my clients who come in and apply for medi-cal in order to cover the cost of their dental procedures have gone to the ER and were given pain meds and antibiotics. I wasn't expecting the ER that night to perform a miracle and treat my pain like a dentist would. All I asked was that they take a look and prescribe an antibiotic.

The other thing about this ER is this is a very small town. They're known for their high turnover rate in physicians and nurses. I can understand why. But to go out of your way to make a patient feel like they 2ft tall is just wrong. If you're not in the profession to help, then get another job. I LOVE helping people and if I were a doc I wouldn't treat my patients this way. Before we left that night the doc said "Don't worry. She'll be back." Yeah okay. Not after that mess.

As for my dentist..yes I am in the process of finding another one because I called him this morning and they can't see me or prescribe any pain meds until after I see them on the 22nd! I even explained to them the situation. The pain happened suddenly and only got worse overnight. In the past he was always ready to see me and help me the same day. I guess since I paid him off two weeks ago he could care less now. Oh well his loss.

What happened with my tooth is weird and I've lost all patience, time, and money on this dentist who I thought was great until this morning. I find out that what he did to my tooth was not a root canal type of procedure that he described to me when I first went in for this tooth. He only removed the pulp and partial nerve. Now Im in pain and suffering because I thought I was going crazy (he also had me believe that there could be no pain since he took the root out and that the sensitivity would go away after I healed from that procedure) when I told him that sometimes I feel a little pressure or stinging in that tooth. I won't be spending my hard earned money on his practice anymore.

I am happy to announce though that an oral surgeon has decided to do the emergency oral surgery I need on Monday morning. :) However I am still in pain and lemme tell ya I just want to drink a whole gallon of liquor right now but I can't do that. LOL

Another thing. I spent all morning looking for a dentist in this county and other counties who would help me and no one would. They all said that I should go see the dentist I have now. So guess they won't be getting any business from me. The oral surgeon was the only one who'd help. I'm paying for this procedure. What's the big deal anyway???

Another thing. I spent all morning looking for a dentist in this county and other counties who would help me and no one would. They all said that I should go see the dentist I have now. So guess they won't be getting any business from me. The oral surgeon was the only one who'd help. I'm paying for this procedure. What's the big deal anyway???

As a dental hygienist, my experience has been that dentists don't like to fix other dentists' problems (as unfair as that can be to the pt). With you in the midst of a root-canal (I assume he ran into a root that couldn't be thoroughly reamed) they would probably tell you to go to the oral surgeon, anyway.

Although, this dentist sounds so pathetic, it may just be his incompetence... and if he has a reputation, they may know/fear he's in the midst of trouble, and they don't want to get involved.

Could be a lot of things.

I'm so glad you get to the surgeon Monday. :) Once he has resolved that problem for you, find another dentist and call for a new pt exam & consult - start fresh - without referring to all this trouble right off.

If there is a dental school within 50 miles of you, it might be worth it to go there, btw.

Good luck!

PS. I hope you're on abx now - if not, and you think there's still infection present, make sure he knows, today.

Specializes in HEMS 6 years.

Hmmm... this is disturbing on many levels. Based on what you describe an argument could be presented that a medical screening exam was not adequately performed. Do you have a condition that predisposes you to pericarditis (rhetorical question) ?

But irregardless, since when do we not treat PAIN ? NSAIDS, dental block (I have yet to work in an ED that did not do dental blocks if appropriate) and heaven to bid if we need to resort to NARCOTICS !

You deserved to be treated as a human being... I would not treat an animal the way you were treated.

My op ? Call the ED director, nurse manager, administrator, risk manager, state department of health and follow up in writing.

GOOD LUCK

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

A couple of things:

There was a difference between you and your spouse's situation. He was obviously swollen and possibly showed signs of a systemic infection, not merely having pain and seeking preventative care. And patients with signs of systemic involvement rate more immediate care and therefore more of an emergency than someone with discomfort and seeking what should be preventative care.

And EDs are for immediate lifethreatening situations, not preventative care.

While pain is bad, the swelling/systemic issues could be fatal if the patient has certain conditions such as heart surgery, cancer, joint replacements, etc.

The next, is that your dentist should have found a way to fit you in, if the situation was that dire. Or your medical PCP could have seen you and prescribed something.

I personally would not have to the ED, nor expected from them, unless the situation was much more aggravated/systemic, such as having fever, severe swelling, abnormal drainage. And for that matter, I would have probably gone through every possible channel (dentist/PCP/employee health/Dr in a box) before the ED.

I actually called ahead/apoligized for coming in for a wild animal bite that occurred at 0100 in the morning. I would have waited for my MD to handle it; However, the ED has to handle the rabies vaccinations and followup. I was in pain, bleeding and quite swollen (bite to both sides of right hand), but I still would have cleaned the wounds, bandaged and managed on Ibuprofen until the office opened. Because quite honestly it wasn't what I considered an emergency.

They still should have been more civil to you. There is no excuse for rudeness.

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