| Dental Program |
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| Dental Program |
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Description
The Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC) has dental facilities in ten institutions. Inmates housed in facilities without dental clinics are transported to the nearest ODOC facility for their dental needs. ODOC dental clinics are staffed by licensed Dentists and qualified Dental Assistants. All ODOC dental facilities are accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (www.ncchc.org)
To receive dental treatment, inmates send a request stating their dental problem to the dental clinic, and are then made an appointment. There are approximately 14,000 dental contacts statewide in a calendar year.
Emergency treatment and relief of pain is the first priority, but other medically necessary dental services are available. These include: preventative treatments, routine fillings, and construction of dentures. These other, medically necessary services are based on the severity of the problem in conjunction with the length of the inmate’s sentence. Inmates are also referred to specialists in the community when the services cannot be completed in the ODOC dental facility (oral surgery for instance.) Inmates must pay for any requested treatment that is deemed to be non-medically necessary. Inmates may, however, also seek optional services through the Purchase of Care Rule, and can go to a dentist in the community. In those cases, the inmate is responsible for all costs of treatment, escorts, and transportation when seeking outside optional services. Also, inmates must pay for dentures, as they become the inmate’s property.
Contact Information
Greg Shook, Dental Director
greg.shook@doc.state.or.us
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