Employee Dental Health Issue

[xrac]

I have been in this business 16 years come January and am dealing with a situation that I have encountered twice before. Within the last three months I hired a lube tech that I recently found out has a mouth full of decaying infected teeth that are literally life threatening Many of the teeth are broken off at the gum line. What we are dealing with is an extreme case of neglect and past drug usage. I literally cringed when he showed me the inside of his mouth. I have talked to my personal dentist and sent the tech to him for evaluation My friend tells me that all the teeth need to be removed and a denture made but an oral surgeon will need to be involved. Depending upon whether we can get a surgeon on for some reduced charity work I can see this costing $4,000-$6,000 and the guy has no money.

 

I have been in this situation twice before and once I raised money from myself, my friends, and from vendors to pay the bill and the other time I fronted the money and recovered it over a long period of time. However, this case is worse than the other two cases and this guy has been with me a shorter period of time. My conscience will not allow me to sit back and do nothing. However, this is a bigger project than I want to take on. Unfortunately, as far as I can tell there are no community resources to help a man in this situation. All they will do at the hospital is give him antibiotics because he has been to the emergency room recently for pain. I asked this tech and he told me that the pain has literally been so bad that he has considered suicide.

 

My wife and I already give a substantial sum of money away each month helping with various Christian ministries. My daughter husband has had a staph infection that put him in the hospital and unable to work and we have been helping them. This is just crummy timing but guess I will have to figure out some way to get this done but it is a job that I don't want to take on. Guess I am just wanting to vent and am curious if any of you have ever dealt with a similar situation.

[mikerisich]

Xrac,

 

That's a shame all around. Would your employee's health or dental insurance cover a portion of the expense?

[xrac]

No dental insurance or health insurance that will help in this situation.

[FROGFINDER]

I have done this for several employees . Check oral surgeon training hospitals. Have the work done in Mexico.

Does he go to church?

[xrac]

I have done this for several employees . Check oral surgeon training hospitals. Have the work done in Mexico.

Does he go to church?

Good ideas. Unfortunately we are not near a dental school and it is 1,200 miles to the border. He doesn't go to church. I will try to hit up some vendors and fellow employees for a donation. My dentist is trying to help.