Many people seek dental treatment at the emergency room, but hospitals can rarely provide the required treatment like an emergency dentist can.
Emergency rooms in hospitals all over the nation are routinely full. In some cases, people come in without a bona fide medical emergency. At other times, the emergency in question is not something that can be handled adequately by the staff. A prime example involves going to the emergency room for oral care. It may seem like the best course of action but the truth is, most emergency rooms are simply not equipped to handle dental emergencies. For those in California, an emergency dentist in Los Angeles is actually a much better option.
Can You Even Get Dental Treatment in the Emergency Room?
In the vast majority of situations, the answer is no. There is typically no dentist in emergency rooms. Since the overwhelming majority of hospitals do not have a dentist on staff, there is virtually no way for them to treat most dental emergencies. Despite that fact, many people have a tendency to go to the emergency room when they have a problem with their health. In some cases, this decision is made because the patient in question can’t get an appointment with a dentist right away. In other cases, it comes down to a matter of not having a regular dentist, coupled with the fear that the bill will ultimately be more than some patients can afford. Individuals who have similar concerns often go to the emergency room for various treatments as opposed to visiting a physician or dentist.
The Emergency Room Dilemma
This can easily overload emergency rooms. In fact, it can cause such a backlog that it delays treatment for other potentially serious cases. In addition, those who seek treatment for dental issues often end up wasting their own time. As previously mentioned, there is usually no dentist in emergency rooms. If no one is on staff who is qualified to handle a specific problem, it cannot be treated in that location.
The Reality of Going to the Emergency Room for Tooth Emergency
For people who don’t routinely go to the emergency room, there can be a misconception that it is possible to walk in and be seen almost immediately. In reality, that rarely happens. The largest hospitals tend to have the most resources, but they also have more patients. In short, there are more people waiting in the emergency room. Furthermore, patients must be triaged, or prioritized, so that the most serious medical issues are handled first. Therefore, patients who can walk in on their own accord may end up waiting for hours. When a person comes in waiting to be seen for tooth pain, there may be little that can be done on site. In all likelihood, you will simply be given pain medication and sent on your way. This may make you feel better in the short-term, but it doesn’t correct the root cause of the problem. As soon as the pain medication wears off, you will probably be in agony all over again. If you are thinking that the answer is to go to a smaller hospital, think again. While it is true that smaller hospitals are likely to have shorter waiting times, they also tend to have fewer resources. Either way, you are not likely to get the treatment you need in an emergency room. The best thing you can do is find a highly qualified emergency dentist in Los Angeles. Otherwise, the problem could become much more serious than it already is.
Do Hospitals Ever Have Dentists on Staff?
It is not unheard of for a hospital to employ the services of a dentist. However, it is very rare. There was a time when hospitals tried to serve virtually every need a patient could possibly have. That said, things have changed dramatically over the course of the last several years. As such, most hospitals only employ the services of those deemed absolutely necessary. That is one reason you now see a number of hospitals that specialize in only one aspect of medicine. Examples of these types of facilities include dedicated cancer centers and those w