[VeronicaD]

If a person has medicaid and an HMO(Managed Care) and needs dental work done is there any dentists out there that will accept these clients based on the basis of patient request/needing to be put fully to sleep? Person I know has a couple of health issues which of cause is one strike against him, However dentists charge for this particular service of which he can not afford. His teeth are in really bad shape but has problems getting work done on them based on the fact work is done while he is awake and his tolerance to pain is so low mixed with a high amount of anxiety that he endures in the dentist chair. It is a very wise action on both sides his side as well as the dentist if patient is fully a sleep if things are to run smoothly. He needs to find a dentist who will accept his medical insurance(Medicaid/HMO) to pay for the service of putting him to sleep but we know of no such place. Can anyone help?

[twinkiedooter]

Has the person tried the "laughing gas"? Being totally put to sleep is very risky and most dentists don't really want to do this kind of work unless they are literally taking out all the teeth from the mouth. Anxiety, etc are not good enough reasons to be put totally asleep when getting teeth attended to. And as far as any dentist in NYC accepting Medicaid for this costly procedure of being put to sleep I'm sure you'll have a long search to find one.

I was recently quoted $900 for my son to have 2 wisdom teeth taken out by an oral surgeon where he would be put to sleep as the teeth needed to be cut out of the jaw. And I'm in Ohio! So I can well imagine that NYC would be double that amount. The person if they are still that adamant about it could try asking for payment arrangements.

[Fr_Chuck]

The issue will be not their desire for the treatment this way, but the dentist will have to recommend it as the only way to do it

[flossie]

There are a few options available for your friend. He needs to find a dentist who is experienced with conscious sedation.