Federal inspectors found that Avir at New Braunfels had no dental services contract during a January 30 complaint investigation. The facility's own policy, last revised in December 2016, states that routine and emergency dental services are provided "through a contract agreement with a licensed dentist that comes to the facility monthly."
The Administrator told inspectors that a new company bought the facility in November 2025. She said the facility should have contracted with a local dental provider to serve residents who needed dental care, but she didn't know why no contract existed.
"If the facility did not have a contract, residents might not have dental care," the Administrator said during a January 30 interview.
The facility had contacted a dental service provider just one day before the inspection, on January 29, but the Administrator described it as "an ongoing process." She said both she and regional company leaders were responsible for obtaining contracts with outside service providers.
A local dentist had visited the facility and provided dental care to residents on January 27, three days before the inspection. But this care happened without any written agreement specifying professional standards or facility responsibilities.
The Director of Nursing acknowledged the risk. She told inspectors that without a contract with a dental facility, there was "potential risk of residents not receiving dental care."
The DON said residents received dental services when needed because their doctors might choose dental providers from community dentists. But federal regulations require nursing homes to have written agreements with outside service providers that specify the facility's responsibility for ensuring services meet professional standards.
The facility's dental services policy outlined four ways residents could receive care: through a contract agreement with a licensed dentist visiting monthly, referral to the resident's personal dentist, referral to community dentists, or referral to other healthcare organizations providing dental services.
The first option required the very contract the facility lacked.
Inspectors reviewed the facility's contract binder on January 30 and confirmed no dental services agreement existed. The facility had been operating under new ownership for more than two months without securing this required contract.
Federal regulations mandate that nursing homes either employ qualified professionals to provide required services or obtain written agreements with outside resources. These agreements must specify that the facility assumes responsibility for obtaining services that meet professional standards applicable to such professionals.
The violation placed residents at risk for not receiving dental services, according to inspectors. Poor oral health in elderly residents can lead to serious complications including malnutrition, infections, and aspiration pneumonia.
The inspection occurred in response to a complaint, though the specific nature of that complaint was not detailed in the report. The violation received a minimal harm rating, affecting few residents.
The Administrator's admission that she didn't know why the facility lacked a dental contract highlighted gaps in oversight during the ownership transition. New management had been in place for months but failed to establish basic service agreements required by federal law.
The timing proved particularly problematic. The facility contacted dental providers only after inspectors arrived to investigate, suggesting the contract gap might have continued indefinitely without regulatory scrutiny.
Residents at nursing homes depend on facility management to arrange specialized services they cannot obtain independently. Dental care represents a critical health service that many elderly residents require regularly due to age-related oral health decline and medication side effects.
The facility's policy promised monthly dental visits through contract agreements. Without such contracts, residents faced uncertainty about whether they could access timely dental care when problems arose.
The Administrator acknowledged that doctors might choose dental providers for residents, but this informal arrangement lacked the written protections and professional standards that federal regulations require. Such arrangements can leave residents vulnerable when service disputes arise or when emergency dental care becomes necessary.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Avir At New Braunfels from 2026-01-30 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.