Community Health Center August 2020

Patient Story: Dental Emergencies During the Days of COVID-19

severely abscessed tooth. Our dentist immediately phoned in a prescription for an antibiotic to get the infection under control and provide some pain relief. We scheduled a root canal, and this saved the tooth. Katie was immensely grateful for our help. She remarked that she was astonished by our brand-new state-of-the-art facility and professional staff. She has since referred her two sisters to our Dublin site, and has made appointments for the kids, as well. Our Director of Dental Programs, Laura Jirsa, says that this patient is one of hundreds that have been served by the Center’s dental program during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic. “People have not stopped having oral health emergencies during the COVID-19 crisis. In the past, folks with excruciating dental pain often took themselves to an emergency department. During COVID, however, people are fearful to go to a hospital. They stay away and postpone care, putting themselves at severe risk. An untreated abscessed tooth can spread bacteria to other places in the body, which is potentially life-threatening. Thankfully, Katie found us in time.”

Katie is a 37-year old nurse at a New River Valley hospital and is a Pulaski resident. Her employer provides good health and dental insurance. She had been a patient of a local family dentist for over ten years. Early in April 2020, when fear and anxiety regarding the coronavirus pandemic were first peaking, she began experiencing severe throbbing pain in a back molar. The pain kept her from sleeping and working. It also kept her from going to an emergency room, as she was scared to enter a hospital as a patient. She was comfortable providing medical care in full protective gear as a nurse, but was frightened about what might await her as a patient in a busy ER. She also had two children that she knew she had to keep safe. When Katie called her regular dentist, the office denied her an appointment because of her work in a hospital setting. Desperate to find some relief and to save the tooth, she called multiple dental offices in the area. All were closed or refused to see her right away because she was not their established patient. Fortunately, she called our Dublin Center and we were able to serve her the same day she contacted us. When she arrived, her face was visibly swollen and tender, and the throbbing radiated down her neck. She had a

Dr. Ravi Lingineni Joins our Dental Team in Giles Dr. Lingineni has joined our Pearisburg Center. He provides general dentistry services to patients of all ages. Dr. Lingineni received his Doctorate in Dental Surgery from the University of Southern California and his Master of Public Health from the University of North Texas Health Science Center. He joined us this summer from a practice in Indiana. Dr. Lingineni moved to Virginia to be closer to family – especially since he has a new baby boy! In his downtime, Dr. Lingineni enjoys playing tennis, badminton, and cricket, spending time with family and friends and reading. He believes in educating his patients regarding preventive dental care and treatment of dental problems.

Welcome Dr. Lingineni!

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