BROOKFIELD — An already overwhelmed medical system has inherited another wave of patients: people with throbbing tooth aches.
A periodontist and implant surgeon is working hard to take the load off emergency rooms.
During this pandemic Dr. Lisa Teel of Meridian Endodontics, Periodontics & Implant Dentistry in Brookfield is seeing firsthand, the desperation of a patient in pain during this pandemic.
“Truly, many patients. It’s not just been one, it’s been several. They’ve called 5, 6, 10 dental offices and they have not known where to go," said Teel.
Teel points out a statistic from the American Dental Association: Every year, more than 2 million dental emergencies are seen in emergency rooms nationwide.
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She adds, “Honestly, we can’t handle those right now. Our physicians and our nurses need their resources to be handling COVID-19 patients.”
Their Brookfield office is now open seven days a week, in hopes to take the load off. They have more than enough protective equipment to perform emergencies like root canals and extractions.
Teel's colleague Dr. Charles Stoianovici adds their office can also talk to patients through telehealth to assess if someone needs to leave their house.
“Talk about their symptoms whether they’re not a true emergency," said Stoianovici.
The doctors both urge if you have a primary dentist, you must call them first for a referral.