Dental Follow-Up and Discharge Care Coordination
Last reviewed:
Why dental follow-up breaks down
- The patient has no regular dentist
- Coverage for dental care is unclear to the patient
- Transportation or time off work is hard to arrange
- Referral lists are out of date
- Once the pain is controlled, the visit gets postponed
Medicaid was the primary expected payer at 55.4% of these visits.
This describes the national visit population, not any Dentulu payer arrangement.
What coordination can include
- A dental follow-up plan in a format that fits your discharge instructions
- Referrals to dental offices and specialists, where available in the patient's area
- A virtual dental check-in after discharge, where arranged
- Plain-language instructions on what to do if symptoms get worse
- Status updates to your team, as agreed
Who does what
| Party | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Hospital | Discharge decision, discharge instructions, advice on when to return to the ED |
| Dentulu | Dental follow-up options, referral help, virtual follow-up where arranged |
| Patient | Attends follow-up; returns to the ED or calls 911 if warning signs appear |
| Shared | What is documented and how follow-up status is reported |
What we will not promise
Dentulu does not guarantee appointment availability, insurance coverage or specific wait times. We say so up front, so your team can set accurate expectations with patients.
Measuring follow-up
| Measure | How it is calculated | Data source |
|---|---|---|
| Follow-up plan documented | Dental-complaint discharges with a dental follow-up plan ÷ all dental-complaint discharges | Hospital records |
| Referral completion | Referred patients seen for dental care ÷ patients referred, where trackable | Referral tracking |
| Repeat ED visits | Return ED visits for the same dental complaint within 30 days ÷ dental-complaint discharges | Hospital records |
These are measures to evaluate in a pilot, not Dentulu results.
How a pilot worksFrequently asked questions
Does Dentulu book dental appointments for patients?
Where arranged with dental offices in the patient's area. Availability varies by location.
Does this help patients with Medicaid or no insurance?
Options depend on the patient's location and coverage. Dentulu does not promise insurance coverage.
What should a patient do if symptoms get worse after discharge?
Return to the emergency department or call 911 for severe swelling, trouble breathing or swallowing, or uncontrolled bleeding.
Who owns the referral?
Responsibilities are set out in your agreement with Dentulu.
Is patient information shared with dental offices?
Only as your agreement, the patient's authorization and applicable law allow.
Give patients a next step after discharge.
Please do not include patient information.