getting run-around by dental clinic

[GARYLINN]

Hello everyone:  first, I am 100 PERCENT Total and PERM.  The dentist will NOT give me three implants in which I am in need of.  I was told that I don't take care of the teeth I have so "WHY WOULD WE GIVE YOU IMPLANTS"?

They are right...I am disabled with MDD and PANIC DISORDER.  The actual problems I have are the problem I have taking care of my teeth and even my body.   I feel I am being discriminated against for my disabilities.  IS THIS POSSIBLE at the VA?  I need counsel for sure!

[Vync]

6 hours ago, TALON II FE said:

Besides, you would think a VA Dentist would more careful with keeping his own teeth in his head.  This hits a nerve with me, too.  I am 100% and do not have any other dental coverage.  I have been trying to get enrolled for about 4 months now, I finally resent the dental application, this time to the local clinic, the nearest VAMC, my Regional Office, and the VA Intake Center  % copies of the same application to 5 different addresses and I am still not sure it will cause any movement.  At this point, I have not been to a dentist in 2+ yrs, I could not afford the Tricare supplemental dental coverage, especially since I was paying for Tricare medical and going bankrupt.  I almost went to the ER 2 nights ago due to a tooth.  Good Luck and don't take their crap, they work for you,

There's no reason why you should not have been enrolled already. Do you know if the (lack of) Choice Card plan covers dental work?

[Navy04]

Im sorry for what you are going thru, and I understand bud. I have all of my teeth, am 34 and take very care of them. But due to my Crohns Disease causing alot of Vomiting and Stomach acid has caused eroding of the enamel. So I am been waiting for a year for the VA referral for an Oral Surgeon to have all of my teeth removed and get implants.  I too am 100% P&T. I got so tired of waiting, that I had to go out and pay for Tricare Dental Insurance which is not cheap. So I went to Civilian Dentist and they referred me to Civilian Oral Surgeon on the 29th of April. I get pretty good Dental Care at my VA, but when it comes to Referrals, they just never seem to come thru. Good luck to you and keep us posted. God Bless

[Chuck75]

On 4/13/2016 at 4:52 PM, GARYLINN said:

Hello everyone:  first, I am 100 PERCENT Total and PERM.  The dentist will NOT give me three implants in which I am in need of.  I was told that I don't take care of the teeth I have so "WHY WOULD WE GIVE YOU IMPLANTS"?

They are right...I am disabled with MDD and PANIC DISORDER.  The actual problems I have are the problem I have taking care of my teeth and even my body.   I feel I am being discriminated against for my disabilities.  IS THIS POSSIBLE at the VA?  I need counsel for sure!

My area VAMC dentist is famous for recommending veterans have all their teeth pulled and get dentures. Been that way for many years. Meeting some budgetary requirement is more important than optimum veteran treatment or satisfaction anyway! <G>

Edited April 15, 2016 by Chuck75

[Vync]

8 hours ago, Chuck75 said:

My area VAMC dentist is famous for recommending veterans have all their teeth pulled and get dentures. Been that way for many years. Meeting some budgetary requirement is more important than optimum veteran treatment or satisfaction anyway! <G>

That's just wrong

[brokensoldier244th]

NO, if they only have X for a budget for the dental clinic, then that is what they have to work with. Implants are cosmetic dentistry that is expensive and doens't always take. I get it, we are entitled to dental care. That doens't mean porcelain veneers.  It sounds like some of your dentists are trying to work with you within the constraints of the system they have in place. They don't set their departmental budgets, and the VA gets less money every year. Try looking at the bigger picture. Just because you want implants, and your neighbor got them doesn't mean you will get them - from the VA, anymore than you are going to get designer frames for glasses. If your VA dentist thought you needed implants then they would have told you. If your civilian dentist told you you need implants then they are trying to sell you something because they make a profit on it, not always because you need it. Its not coming out of their budget if you get implants- YOU pay for it, so they can tell you that you need whatever. It doesn't cost THEM anything. Im always suspect when my civilian doctor and my VA doctor are of different minds completely about something for this reason. 

 

 

[Chuck75]

2 hours ago, brokensoldier244th said:

NO, if they only have X for a budget for the dental clinic, then that is what they have to work with. Implants are cosmetic dentistry that is expensive and doens't always take. I get it, we are entitled to dental care. That doens't mean porcelain veneers.  It sounds like some of your dentists are trying to work with you within the constraints of the system they have in place. They don't set their departmental budgets, and the VA gets less money every year. Try looking at the bigger picture. Just because you want implants, and your neighbor got them doesn't mean you will get them - from the VA, anymore than you are going to get designer frames for glasses. If your VA dentist thought you needed implants then they would have told you. If your civilian dentist told you you need implants then they are trying to sell you something because they make a profit on it, not always because you need it. Its not coming out of their budget if you get implants- YOU pay for it, so they can tell you that you need whatever. It doesn't cost THEM anything. Im always suspect when my civilian doctor and my VA doctor are of different minds completely about something for this reason. 

 

 

That's debatable!  Too many times I've experienced different facets of the VA's penchant for "saving money". Often, it occurs in ways that are not beneficial to veterans, be it in healthcare or other parts of the VA.  When you look closely at many of the changes the VA proposes/has proposed, it's not uncommon to find that the VA benefits to the detriment of veterans. 

The real question is should veterans health care be limited by the VA's inability to provide it,regardless of the reasons?

The Below is still quite apt!