Frank Camarda of SeniorDent, a solution provider at the marcus evans Long-Term Care CXO Summit Fall 2013, on cost efficient ways of providing dental services in LTC facilities. Interview with: Frank Camarda, President, SeniorDent

1. Interview with: Frank Camarda,
President, SeniorDent
Oral health affects so many aspects of a
resident’s life, yet funding cutbacks
have resulted in the elimination of
dental programs for many long-term
care (LTC) facilities, says Frank
Camarda, President, SeniorDent. Even
where programs still exist, the fees paid
by Medicaid do not cover the costs
involved with transporting patients to a
dental facility. The most efficient way
would be to provide dental services on-
site, Camarda advises.
SeniorDent is a solution provider at the
marcus evans Long-Term Care CXO
Summit Fall 2013 in Palm Beach,
Florida, July 25-26.
What is challenging LTC facilities
today?
One of their major issues is cutbacks on
the funding for dental services from
many government agencies. Most
individuals finding themselves in nursing
homes are Medicaid recipients, so
cutbacks and even the elimination of
dental programs is leaving homes
unable to get those services paid for.
LTC facilities are ending up in a
situation where the fees paid by
Medicaid do not actually cover the total
cost of service, because the patient has
to be transported to a dental facility,
which involves a lot more cost. An
individual usually must accompany the
resident, taking the person away from
other duties in the facility. Also, they
have to find a provider that is willing to
accept that resident as a patient.
Many of the homes still provide dental
services in this inefficient way, when
they can have the care brought directly
to their facility.
Many facilities are trying to be more
patient-centric. How would this
contribute to that?
What is many times lost sight of is how
dental health affects the entire well-
being of a patient. Although most
residents tend to have a number of
medical conditions other than being
elderly, oral health is more important
than many people even imagine,
because it can affect so many aspects of
their life.
This is more than just about a
toothache. It is about their ability to get
nourishment, avoid infections, etc. They
need to have good oral health services
on a scheduled basis.
Could this attract more residents?
Yes. In the end it is another service that
they may be able to provide that
another facility may not be offering. It
would be a marketing advantage for a
facility to have on-site availability of
dental services in its array of services.
Any service they have in-house, be it
dental, podiatry or vision, enhances the
image of the home and its ability to
provide all the services a resident may
require.
At the end of the day, if a nursing home
wants to be the facility of choice, they
need to offer something more. So they
need to review what services they have
available and how it compares to the
facility next door.
More and more people entering nursing
facilities today have a higher dental IQ
than in the past. As a result they are
expecting that type of service to be
available to them at the home where
they decide to spend their declining
years.
With all the cost reductions and budget
cuts going on, facilities must consider all
avenues for preserving these services.
If
nursing
homes
want to
keep their
beds full,
they must
keep
residents
healthy
Why LTC Facilities Must Provide
On-Site Dental Services

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Please note that the Summit is a
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limited.
About the Long-Term Care CXO Summit Fall 2013
This unique forum will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach, Florida, July
25-26, 2013. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show,
this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and
solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event.
www.longtermcaresummit.com
Contact
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Division
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About SeniorDent
Senior Dent is an underwriter of dental insurance plans designed for long term care residents. Services are delivered using a
portable dental system. The scope of plan benefits provides residents with almost all of their dental care needs. The funding of
these plans is such that there is no additional cost to the residents or facility in which they reside.
www.srdent.com
About marcus evans Summits
marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss
strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to
individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, case studies, roundtables and one-on-one business meetings.
For more information, please visit: www.marcusevans.com
Upcoming Events
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To view the web version of this interview, please click here: www.longtermcaresummit.com/FrankCamarda