need advice about special needs dentists

[tree]

i called that dentist they dont take medcaid so its a big no too that dentist

Do you have a Services Worker?
Or just a Case Worker?

Services Workers....sometimes....
will help people find things like
doctors. But you have to ask.
They don't just volunteer to tell
you things.

 

[mikie1011]

yes i have a case worker she going help me i asked her already last week i was there i was asking on here too see thanks for your help

 

[tree]

yes i have a case worker she going help me i asked her already last week i was there i was asking on here too see thanks for your help

Sounds good.

Hope you find one you can use.

The medicaid dental clinic in my area....isn't worth going to,
in my opinion. So I go 25 miles away and pay for
the treatment myself.

 

[Tom]

Dental work is pretty expensive and depending on what you need can be very expensive, so be sure to find out exactly what something is going to cost and if they want it all at once or have a payment plan. Having to pay for my own dental work was actually one of the things that contributed to me choosing to join the military.

Basic plan dentists, like those who take medicaid are going to be a mixed lot. Some will be just business and not be very friendly or understanding of special needs patients. There are good ones however. So its a matter of talking to several dentists offices in your area that take your insurance and trying to find one that is sympathetic to your case.

Also, having dental work done is usually not nearly as bad as one's anxiety makes it out to be. The state of the art is such that even basic dentists can work in relatively pain free ways. If there is discomfort it is usually very brief. I use relaxation and other techniques to help me in the chair. I practice deep regular breathing at 2 second intervals, I focus on a pleasent daydream or something like that and try and pay no attention to the dentists and what they are doing. Or if able to talk I will try and chat about some other subject with the dentist. If sometime hurts I pinch myself hard which hurts more and takes my thoughts away from what the dentist is doing. After many years practicing this I am so relaxed now at the dentists I can almost fall asleep in the chair.

 

[Beverly]

The main thing is find a dentist that has a bit of consideration and a willingness to listen to you, then explain what you need and why. Most of them are happy to listen and learn how to deal with ASD clients when it's as simple as sedation and a papoopse board, straight jacket or, blanket wrap to help you stay calm.

Dental work is also not the horror some stories make it out to be. I've had plenty of it with a full mouth of implants (that means I've had all of my teeth pulled and replaced with teeth that are attached to surgical steel studs which are implanted into my jaw bones.) Yes a little discomfort after surgery but, that's normal and, even that wasn't bad. While the dentist was working on my mouth I never felt an pain, unless you count the tiny needle prick needed for the lidocaine injection to numb my jaw.

You occasionally feel pressure and are asked to rinse or spit, move your tongue this way or that way but, dental work doesn't hurt when it's being done and, rarely does it hurt afterwards, unless you have to have dental surgery, then you get medication to help you manage the pain afterwards, which is not horrible anyway.