By Dr. Toby Imler, TCC Dental Director
We receive many questions about the Dental Waitlist in the Dental Department. What is it and how does it work? Why do we even have the waitlist? I’d like to take a few moments to share the importance of the waitlist, outline how it works, and share the progress we’ve made over the past year.
What is the waitlist?
The waitlist serves two significant purposes. First, it serves as our recall exam list, reminding us of when patients are due for their follow up exam. Each patient’s recall timeframe is unique to them and based on a number of factors, but most often, our patients will have a two-year recall. Patients with diabetes, children, and certain other unique circumstances may be given a one- year recall.
The second role of the waitlist is to help us set exam appointments fairly and consistently. We want to make sure that those patients who have been waiting the longest are the next ones contacted for an appointment. When making appointments, Dental staff call patients from the waitlist in the order they were put on. If we are unable to reach someone, we will leave a message and try again before moving down the list. Don’t worry, though- if we miss you and you call us back later, you will retain your place at the top of the waitlist and will be given the next available appointment.
How does the waitlist work?
If during your exam, your dentist determines that you require additional treatments (a filling, root canal, etc.), you will be able to schedule an appointment that will occur in a timely manner. Once that treatment is complete, you are eligible to be added back to the exam waitlist, but you need to ask the Dental Front Desk to be added. If you forget to ask at the end of your appointment, just reach out to the Dental Front Desk, and we will get you added. If at any time you have a dental concern or urgent need, our Dental Urgent Care Clinic is available for same day appointments whether you have a current exam or not.
The process of the exam waitlist worked very well under normal circumstances. When a patient’s exam and all of their work was completed, they were added back to the waitlist. Usually, treatment was completed in 1-3 months. The patient was then put back on the waitlist, and they were contacted two years later for their next regular exam with minimal to no wait.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted this system, as normal appointments were not completed for almost a year. Additionally, clinic capacity was reduced by half compared to what it was before. While we are still working through the disruptions caused by those challenges, we’ve made significant progress in increasing access and decreasing wait times over the past year.
Our current progress
The progress on the exam waitlist is ongoing but is trending in a positive direction. In June 2023, the wait for a dental exam was 28 months for adults and 19 months for children. In March of 2024, the wait was reduced to 15 months for adults and 14 months for kids. While these advances are significant, we still have further to go before achieving our goal of a six month or less wait time for a dental exam. If current trends continue and staffing levels remain consistent, we expect to achieve this goal by March 2025.
This increase in services was made possible by improvements in staffing levels. Since January 2023, TCC hired three dentists and ten dental assistants. Five of the dental assistants hired were part of our “grow our own” initiative where we provided on the job training to applicants. These individuals are from our communities and are now providing excellent care to our beneficiaries. Our recruitment activities and training programs are ongoing, and we continue to seek people who are passionate about serving in the dental field.
Additionally, one student graduated from the Dental Health Aide Therapy (DHAT) training program during the summer of 2023 and a second is scheduled to graduate in the summer of 2024. This will increase access to appointments for our rural patients by increasing the number of villages visited and the number of weeks that those services will be provided.
TCC Dental Clinic is incredibly grateful for the continued trust you put in us as we strive to meet our shared goals. Our first priority is serving you, our patients with the highest levels of care. While the past couple of years have been difficult, the changes implemented are yielding positive results. We are committed to seeing the waitlist for services further reduced and are working tirelessly to accomplish that. We thank you for your patience through this lengthy process. If you have any questions about your status on the Dental exam waitlist or would like to have your name added to the list, please reach out to the Dental Front Desk at 907-451-6682 ext. 3200.