From Persecution to Prison - Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of ...

Difficulty Obtaining Dental CareDental care was another area where there were frequent reports of greatdifficulty accessing services. For example, one detainee reported that hebegan experiencing a toothache in August, and filled out a request to see adoctor. He was finally taken to a dentist in November, for a temporary filling.The pain went away for a short period but then returned. Thedetainee reports being told that he could have the tooth pulled, or waituntil he was free to have restorative treatment. When interviewed, thisdetained asylum seeker had been in detention for two years and ninemonths. He explained:For little problems, it’s quick. For bigger problems, they need permissionfrom Washington. The doctor is very good here, but is limited in what[the doctor] can do, and the doctor says, ‘I am very sorry, but I can nothelp you’. For many problems, the doctors were good but the INS systemwas not.Other detained asylum seekers reported a similar understanding of theprocess of obtaining dental care. One detainee had two teeth extracted indetention and subsequently had gum bleeding. He reported being told thatif he stayed for more than six months, they would look into it. At the timeof the interview he was using salt and water to rinse, but said it was nothelping him.Another detainee complained of tooth problems, such as cavities. Thesubject reported that he was told he couldn’t see a dentist unless he hadbeen in detention more than six months. But he never did see a dentist,even after six months; he still had the problem.One detainee reported that he complained every day for three monthsbefore receiving care for a painful tooth. He reports that when the toothwas finally pulled, it was before the anesthetic set in. He reports beinghandcuffed during the “very painful” procedure.Another subject stated that while in detention she experienced a severetoothache. She “had it for a while, and it got worse.” She reports that shesaw a nurse who said she would be allowed to see an outside specialist,but eight months later she still had not. Instead she was given a genericpain pill, which didn’t help, and the pain worsened.One female detainee had suffered a broken tooth when she was hit withthe butt of a gun by a soldier in her country of origin. She reports thatwhile in detention, she still suffered a great deal of pain from this.They gave me some pain medicine,- the same as for my headache, but ithasn’t helped. The tooth is broken in half where I was hit.After five months in detention, she was granted asylum and releasedand subsequently received dental care at an outside clinic.PHYSICAL HEALTH, MEDICAL PROBLEMS AND MEDICAL CARE 99