Where can I get help for dental work needed?

[Chris S]

I need dental work done due to a few things post transplant and needs to be done soon due to the use of Actonel and infection in Wisdom Teeth. I only have Medicare and Medicaid insurance which does not pay for dental or dental surgery. The oral surgeon who wants to take care of the 3 infected Wisdom Teeth and do an implant on a toooth affected by bone loss wants to charge $4020 (est.) for the work, but doesn't have a payment plan and wants money up front. The dentist wants to do a root canal to save a tooth that had been unknowingly damaged and fix a couple cavities along with doing a cleaning. He to wants to be paid up front. Both of these doctors are in my transplant hospital/center, so that's why I went to them incase there are problems. But does anyone know any resources to get help with dental work? I already over spent what income I do get seeing these doctors along with getting prescriptions. I feel I am in a downward spiral with this situation and fel I may end up loosing my transplant if not taken care of.

Hopefully someone knows of some resources in Illinois.

[Bonnie]

Hopefully, you already had dental work done.  I don't know of any sources in Illinois but when I needed some dental work done many years ago I had it done for free at the University of Washington Dental school.  Perhaps you can check into Dental Schools in your local area? You might want to start with the University of Chicago:

Amber L. Ryan, MEd
Clinical Instructor
email: ambryan@uic.edu
ph: 312.355.4598
fax: 312.413.9050

[Chris S]

No I haven't had dental work done due to being in the hospital for other things going on with my transplant. I did try the University of Chicago which was suggested by my doctor at Northwestern in Chicago, but they will not except me due to being high risk. Looked into getting an insurance plan online and still couldn't afford it, plus it would be setting me back for paying for the insurance and trying to pay for all the dental work. I'm in a no win situation.

I can't do anything this month anyway with all the doctor visits I have and an eye surgery this month  that may leave me totally blind for a few months like my last post tx eye surgery did.


Wish these dentist would get with the times to have auto deduction from bank account for payments. Who can afford $2,000 plus out of pocket for only two months? That's not a payment plan to me.

[joeynt]

Even when I had dental insurance I couldn't afford to go to the dentist.  The dentists want the money up front.  The last time I had to do that I used rent money and the landlord was not amused.  My doctor gives me the talk about my heart issues and the importance of going to the dentist.  I don't have the money for it so its on the "if I win the lottery" list.  Are you sure about the medicaid and medicare?  Have you talked to a socail worker to see if there is any programs you qualify for that would help you pay for the dental work?

[Chris S]

I don't have a social worker. I saw a social worker once pre transplant and all they did was to make sure I had the means to get the medications, find out where I was staying after the transplant upon release, and nothing else. Only social worker I really had was at dialysis. I went to my counties center for independent living for people with disabilities and they do not know of any programs, but looking into it. Just give me a dentist who has payment plans, or more important an oral surgeon who is willing to knock me out to pull 3 wisdom teeth out and do the implant. Cavities and root canal are not as important to me yet as the wisdom teeth.

According to my Medicaid case worker, they do not cover dentist, they only do that for kids to a  certain age.

As with you, right now it is on my to do list when I win the lottery. Well gotta play first.

Not much I can get done due to eye surgery next week. Won't be able to see and not sure I will be able to for a time due to medications I'm on and that the operation is on my one good eye.

[old_fool]

Hopefully, you already had dental work done.  I don't know of any sources in Illinois but when I needed some dental work done many years ago I had it done for free at the University of Washington Dental school.  Perhaps you can check into Dental Schools in your local area? You might want to start with the University of Chicago:

Amber L. Ryan, MEd

Amber's advice is the best way.

If you don't know of a university with a dental school, call your local health dept for ideas.

 
fool