Your teeth do more than give you a dazzling smile. They’re vital to living your day-to-day life. Teeth help you to speak, eat, and express yourself.

When your teeth are damaged or lost, it can not only be a painful and traumatic experience; it can have a lasting impact on your confidence and your long-term physical, mental, and even behavioral health.

The trouble is that trauma and dental emergencies can come at the most unforeseen times. Anything from a runaway baseball in the park to an unintentional headbutt from a new puppy can be enough to damage a tooth. 

In these situations, it is clear that you need a dentist that provides emergency healthcare services for Medicaid and Meridian dental insurance. Michigan residents searching for healthcare services from a provider that accepts Meridian Dental Care are always welcome at Patient Empowered Dentistry. 

The good news is that swift and decisive action from skilled emergency dentists can help save your teeth and your smile, not to mention safeguarding your oral health!

Our emergency dentist can help with many services, from on-the-spot fixes to cosmetic dentistry, and is happy to work with patients to provide dental benefits through their dental insurance or with low-cost financing options.

Often, emergency dental care will be temporary, especially if your tooth has experienced trauma. The swelling to the mouth and gums will prohibit permanent work from being carried out on the spot.

A good emergency dentist can provide dental benefits to get you smiling and comfortable again and lay a foundation for later when your mouth and gums have healed. In addition, they will gladly set up a healthcare program to get your pearly whites looking good as new and get all of your questions answered before the end of your appointment.

What Does Medicaid and Meridianhealth Plan of Michigan Consider an Emergency?

Michigan Medicaid health insurance through Meridian only has a dental coverage program for those enrolled and under 19 or pregnant (including three months post-pregnancy for the mother.) For others, there is no plan for Meridian dental care services. 

Michigan Medicaid does have benefits that will cover adults through its Healthy Michigan plan. To check eligibility for Healthy Michigan benefits, click here. 

However, the Meridian handbook states that they still treat a few emergency dental procedures if you do not meet the criteria. 

Per the Meridianhealth Handbook (Page 37): 

“Emergency care is for a life-threatening medical situation or injury that a person would seek care for right away to avoid severe harm.” The handbook goes on to state some examples of emergencies which include:

• Jaw fracture or dislocation

• Tooth abscess with severe swelling 

Meridian suggests that going to the emergency room is the right plan of action for both of these types of dental emergencies. While in the ER, a healthcare worker can provide care to get you healthy with the benefit of the Meridian in-network care program.

It’s a Good Idea to Have a Dentist Lined up and Saved in Your Address Book in Advance

You never know when you or your children might need an emergency Meridian dentist. The last thing you need is to be frantically searching for a dentist if you or a loved one have recently endured a head trauma or are experiencing extreme tooth pain.

How Do I Find an Emergency Dentist That Takes My Health Plan Benefits

If you or an affected family member are covered by Meridian Health Plan of Michigan or Michigan Medicaid and have a dental plan, it’s quick and easy to find a dentist near you.

Search Meridian’s Member Directory

To find a dentist your Meridian plan covers, you might want to head straight to the MeridianHealth website and use their provider search. Input your zip code and the distance you can travel. The provider search will give you a range of local options.

Contact Meridian Member Services With Any Questions

Are you having no luck finding an in-network doctor with the insurance Provider Directory? You may wish to contact Meridian’s toll-free Member Services helpline at 888-437-0606. They can recommend emergency dental providers in your area.

Search Online and Contact Practices Directly

If speaking to an emergency dentist directly is more your style, patients can perform an online search and ask their nearest emergency dental care provider if Medicaid, Meridian, or Delta Dental covers treatment at their office. It may take some trial and error, but you’ll be able to get a feel for the provider by scrutinizing their website before making contact.

Be Sure to Call and Ask Any Questions You May Have 

The most common questions you may ask when making an appointment are –

• Does the office take Medicaid or Meridian of Michigan insurance coverage?
• Is the office in-network for your insurance plan?
• How many providers are there in the office, and do they have specialties?
• Will they provide payment options such as a sliding fee scale if the procedure is not covered using your MeridianHealth program?

These are all critical questions to ask your provider. 

How Is Patient Empowered Dentistry Different From the Rest? 

Though some offices have multiple providers, at PED, you’ll see Dr. Christopher Dyki and his helpful staff at every visit. This setting ensures that our doctor can develop a program to satisfy your needs while maintaining the comfort of a small community office. 

Get Empowered at Our Eastpointe Practice!

If you live in or around Eastpointe, you can consider us your one-stop-shop for your dental health needs! We take pride in being an office with a doctor who provides the best healthcare possible to our patients while accepting most insurances and providing financing options for x-rays, root canals, extractions, and many other treatments to those without insurance.

We’re here to help you in times of healthcare crisis. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact our team if you or a family member needs an emergency dentistry procedure or you have questions about your insurance information, payment options, or dental care. 

We are always available to provide answers to any of your questions. Call us to make an appointment today!