How do I request an operating room (OR) appointment for a special needs patient?
The
patient can be referred to the School of Dental Medicine (SDM) from
your doctor’s office or you can contact the School of Dental Medicine
directly at 303-724-6951 and request an appointment with the SSCC.
What is an OR consultation?
It
is a consultation where the doctor will determine if the patient needs
to be taken to the OR for dental care under General Anesthesia (GA) or
if it is possible to do treatment in the CU SDM clinic under IV
sedation.
What is the process to schedule an OR appointment?
- First, schedule an OR consultation with the SSCC at 303-724-6951.
-
After this appointment, if the doctor determines that the patient must
be seen in OR, the proper information will be given to you to download
and fill out the or paperwork to finally fax or email it to the clinic.
- Once the OR packet is received, if it is completed the patient will be placed on our OR list.
- Patient must be an active patient with the Senior & Special Care Clinic.
How long is the OR list?
This changes, but often it is more than 18 months.
What do I do if the patient is in pain?
If
the patient is in pain, please call the clinic and inform them. The
first step will be to bring the patient in for a consultation and try to
help the patient with pain management until an OR appointment request
is submitted.
What if the patient doesn’t have medical insurance?
The
hospital will bill the patient or financial guarantor. For financial
information, it is recommended that you contact the hospital directly at
720-848-0000.
What medical insurance does UCHealth accept?
Contact UCHealth hospital directly or contact your medical insurance company for more information.
What if the patient does not have dental insurance?
The patient or financial guarantor are financially responsible for paying for dental services rendered.
What dental insurance do you accept? We
take Delta Dental, DentaQuest and Medicaid. For more information
regarding dental insurances, please contact our billing department at
303-724-6931.
When will I know when the patient will be scheduled in the OR? Once
the OR packet is returned and fully completed, the OR scheduler
coordinator will place the patient on the waiting list. When the time
comes to schedule the patient’s OR appointment, you will be contacted
one or two months in advance to give you time to schedule the patient
with the primary care physician for the history and physical exam and
general anesthesia clearance.
When should I schedule the patient’s history and physical exam? Once
you have been contacted by the clinic OR scheduler coordinator and
given a date, schedule the history and physical exam appointment for the
patient within the next 25 days. The report of the history and physical
exam must be faxed to 303-724-6938 or emailed
(sdm-advcare@ucdenver.edu) seven days prior to the date of the OR
appointment. Failing to do so will result in canceling the OR
appointment.
What if my insurance doesn’t cover the dental treatment? You,
as the legal guardian, power of attorney, or financial guarantor, are
responsible for covering the charges your insurance denies.
Do you have payment plans? The School of Dental Medicine does not offer payment plans.
What patients qualify for OR appointments? Patients with disabilities and medically complex patients who are unable to be treated in a traditional dental setting.
Is there a designated day for OR appointments? Yes. The hospital assigns us two Fridays a month for OR appointments. The appointment will be on a Friday.
What is the schedule for the OR appointments? We
usually see only two cases each Friday. The first case is scheduled at
7:30 a.m., with check-in time at 05:30 a.m. The second case is scheduled
at 12:00 p.m., with check-in time at 10:00 a.m. These times are subject
to change.
Are there other dental facilities that offer OR services? Denver Health Dental Clinic and Lakeside Kids and Special Needs Dentistry.
