WJLA I-Team Small Smiles Dental Centers Investigation Part 1

[Champ675]

Someone hire an extreemist to blow up all locations RIGHT NOW!!!!!!

[Champ675]

For those older kids, Makin' Death threats is the way to go!!!!

[Champ675]

If i was a dentist charged, I'd plead guilty and ask to be EXECUTED!!!!

[gufguuydrt]

i also herd that a chi;ld walked out to their mom bleeding . why would u go back scary!:o

[mizshorty527]

WTF????? that is sick, kids that young do NOT nead that root canal/filling/crown crap!!!! their teeth arent even done growing, that is just wrong, ahhhh that makes me wanna cry!

[FOBmuzungu]

small smiles my ass!

[DebHgn]

Daily, Corporate Dental Chains across the US are doing this in order to run the children through at a high rate of speed. Small Smiles, Smile Starters, Kool Smiles, are just the names of a few of these clinics with the DeRose family out of Pueblo, Colorado behind it all. People need to rise up and end this, evidently our government is only going to fine them for over billing, my concern is the torture the children are experiencing. If I treated a child like this, I would be in jail.

[jlm5387]

This is disgusting...if anyone ever did this to my child they would have to restrain me because I would totally loose it! I remember being held down in the hospital to be put under general anesthesia. I am 21 years old and I still cry hysterically and freak out before an operation. You are going to scar these children for life. How dare you hold children down like this. SMALL SMILES...YOU ARE IGNORANT ASSHOLES!

[csmith1973]

When a child is restrained, anesthetics are still used. Even when nitrous oxide is used, a local anesthetic is still used. Often times, the public's perception of what is happening and what actually happens can be vastly different. I would agree with you wholeheartedly though, anesthetics should always be used. If they weren't in the cases shown, the dentist's license should be revoked.

[Champ675]

@csmith1973 Better yet, All those Dentists should be killed just for the hell of it!!!!!

[csmith1973]

The only reasons these restraints are used is b/c of completely uncooperative children. For one, the parent should never allow their children's teeth to get to the point where they need this level of treatment. Also, most parents are too cheap to pay for general or conscious sedation. On another note, the reason parents usually aren't allowed is b/c the child patient with act better for the dentist if their security blanket (parent) is not there.

[VoltzCartoons]

There is no excuse not to use anesthetics, they should always be required for pulling teeth, cavities, ect. just like SOME decent places do. If they can't afford it, insurance should cover it. No child should be put under this much pain to never want to come back, if they have to restrain them, they should still use anesthetics. What they are doing is torture, harassment, and uncalled for in many ways.

[DemiandSelenaFan83]

That is no excuse. The only reason these poor kids are being uncooperative is because your scaring the crap out of them. and most kids act better WITH their parents there. One of my relatives worked in the medical profession for a long time and she told me they act better with a parent. On another note, the parent shown in this video probably just took the poor kid in for a check-up. The former assistant even said what was going on back there!

Shame on You Small Smiles. Shame on You.

[csmith1973]

Anesthetic is always used. If it is not, the dentist would be violating a basic standard of care and his/her license could be revoked.  I've been a dentist for over 7 years now and have first hand knowledge of what is and is not done in a dental office. What was seen in the video (i.e. papoose board) is only used when a child is completely uncooperative. Ideally, these children should be under general sedation. Unfortunately, most parents are unwilling to pay for this service

[csmith1973]

Medicaid barely reimburses the clinic or dentist for the sedation cost. With the information that is available to all of us, there is hardly any reason for a child to even have cavities anymore, except for poor parenting. Most times, in the operatory, the parent actually gets in the way. the child becomes confused b/c they are trying to listen to their mother and the dentist, who may be saying two different things. Most times the child is more uncooperative with their parent back there

[csmith1973]

No child should ever be traumatized by treatment. The only safe and effective way to do this is with general sedation using an anesthesiologist. Would you be willing to pay the fee for the specialist to put your child to "sleep?" Most parents with Medicaid cannot afford this level of treatment for their children. This is why alternative methods of behavior management are used. No dentist enjoys working on a screaming, thrashing patient. It's a sad but true reality when dealing with medicaid

[TheNutEmme]

That gives me the shivers :S