Dental Coverage

Kidney failure and dialysis place patients at greater risk of dental problems. Such problems are likely to be exacerbated by side effects of immunosuppressive drugs. Infections in transplant recipients represent the most common postoperative complication. As a result, transplant centers commonly require dental clearances for transplant candidates. Many dialysis patients have health insurance that may cover a dental examination, but does not cover dental treatments necessary to remedy a dental problem that is found. This means many patients must pay out-of-pocket for dental treatment or rely on the help of charitable assistance, the funds of which may already be limited. A patient who has a living donor but can’t afford dental treatment cannot get a transplant, which further exacerbates of the problem of unequal access to transplants based on patients’ financial resources.