Help Sangeet Duchane with Dental Costs

Those of you who know me may know that I had stage IV tongue cancer about 15 years ago (pictured pre-cancer). To treat it I received heavy radiation to both sides of my jaw. I’m deeply grateful for the treatment I received and for the people who helped me through that time. It has given me years of life.

 

There is a downside to the treatment, however. It damages both the jawbone and the salivary glands. This increases the risk of dental decay many times over and usually requires expensive dental treatment over many years. Because of the damage to the jawbone, neither extractions nor implants can be used. They could cause necrosis (death) of the jawbone and would be life threatening.

 

Though this is a side-effect of a cancer treatment, it is not covered by Medicare. This affects thousands of people and the coverage has been proposed at least twice, but Congress has refused. This means that Medicare supplement insurance will not cover it either. The magnitude of the problem is way beyond what is covered by any dental plan I’ve found.

 

I need more than six additional root canals, fillings, reconstruction, replacement of teeth, and maintenance. I had saved enough to start this process when the pandemic began and the dental offices here closed. They have reopened, but I’ve had a shortage of work during the pandemic and I’ve gotten sicker and sicker from the infection. I contracted a heart valve infection and ended up in the hospital. Now I’m facing heart surgery and must have the dental work done right away. Delays could cause further heart infections and would be dangerous.

 

I will be very grateful for any help I can get.