OHP Success Story – Winter 2021

Peggy, age 98, has led a very active life. She grew up in the coal-mining region of Pennsylvania, worked for the Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S.) during WWII, then made a career at the Telephone Company before retiring to Oregon. Peggy has always enjoyed hiking, bird-watching, traveling, volunteering, and getting together with family and friends. Health issues led her to an assisted living facility, where she enjoys exercise, reading, and doing all kinds of puzzles.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Peggy was doing well until recently when she began to experience unremitting tooth pain. Peggy’s son got her in touch with Dr. James Hayden at Exceptional Needs Dental Services (ENDS). The ENDS program is a partnership established by four Oregon dental care organizations:
-Capitol Dental Care
-CareOregon Dental
-Managed Dental Care of Oregon
-Willamette Dental

Dr. Hayden and his dental assistant, Candice, visited Peggy at her assisted living facility and successfully removed the diseased tooth. “What a relief!” Peggy stated after the extraction. “And they were nice, too.” Peggy’s son also commented “They did a great job”. “My mom is not the easiest dental patient. I was impressed with every aspect of ENDS, from the timely communications with their scheduler, Debbie, to the compassionate and professional care by James and Candice. I don’t know what we would have done without them.”

Because of the dental care benefits made possible by Oregon Health Plan (OHP), and providers like Dr. Hayden, Peggy has had all her dental needs met and she couldn’t be happier.

OHP Success Story – Winter 2020

Judi, age 79, was referred to Exceptional Needs Dental Services (ENDS) in 2015. She suffers from Alzheimer’s dementia and depression. She is also bedbound and unable to leave her facility for dental or medical treatment.

Judi is extremely passionate about home-style cooking. She has always enjoyed preparing meals for her children. Their usual requests were meatloaf, potato salad, as well as chicken and dumplings. Judi learned how to cook from her family and was never one to follow a recipe, but preferred “cooking to taste.”

As time has gone on, Judi has developed extremely limited physical coordination and has become unable to care for her teeth on her own. The nursing staff would help her by providing assistance with brushing her teeth regularly. When Dr. James Hayden, an ENDS mobile dentist, visited Judi at her facility it, was apparent that she had periodontal disease in her remaining teeth. Dr. Hayden took x-rays that confirmed this and set up a treatment plan for Judi to have several extractions.

Prior to being seen by Dr. Hayden, Judi was experiencing a loss of appetite and she would rarely smile. She was so relieved that Dr. Hayden and his assistant were able to see her at the nursing home. She said they were wonderfully knowledgeable and very kind.

After receiving her new dentures, Judi’s care provider went to ask how she was doing and found that Judi was so excited and happy that her smile filled the room. Judi was thrilled with how comfortable and pretty her new teeth were. She said that it was a “dream come true.”

Because of the dental care benefits made possible by Oregon Health Plan (OHP), and providers like Dr. Hayden, Judi has had all her dental needs met and she couldn’t be happier.

OHP Success Story – Winter 2019

Brandon, age 26, was diagnosed with Autism at the age of two. He lives with his family and does not communicate verbally. Brandon enjoys watching Disney musicals and has always been fascinated by different modes of transportation – boats, planes, and cars.

Brandon’s family spent much of past year looking into what medical and dental resources were available to him. Through Oregon Health Plan Medicaid, his dental insurance referred him to Exceptional Needs Dental Services (ENDS). The ENDS program is a partnership established by four Oregon dental care organizations:

– Capitol Dental Care
– CareOregon Dental
– Managed Dental Care of Oregon
– Willamette Dental

The ENDS program provides dental care access to individuals with exceptional needs, serving those who are functionally impaired, requiring assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and are unable to obtain treatment in a traditional office setting.

Before treatment through ENDS, it had been over five years since Brandon had had a full dental exam performed. His Acute Situational Anxiety and Autism meant that he could not be successfully treated in a traditional dental office. However, his new ENDS provider was able to treat him at the hospital under general anesthesia. Brandon’s father Joe said of the experience, “From the time we got to the Hospital – to sign in our son in, to all the nurses, to the anesthesiologist, to the Dentist, and to check out – everything went well.”  Thanks to Brandon’s family’s diligence in brushing his teeth and maintaining his oral health, the treating provider reported that Brandon’s teeth were actually in pretty good shape.

Joe says that they feel lucky to have access to the dental resources that ENDS provides. Brandon’s father says he had contacted every dentist in his area from the Autistic Society website and none of them were able to meet Brandon’s needs. The ENDS Program connects providers throughout Oregon to those that need it most through the dental care benefits made possible through Oregon Health Plan.