Opposing Views – by Emily Smith
A Georgia father claimed his daughter was put into a restraining device without his consent during a visit to a dentist.
The device, known as a “papoose board,” was allegedly used at the Smiles-R-Us in Carrollton, Georgia. A representative for the Georgia Board of Dentistry said there are no rules, laws or regulations regarding when dentists can and cannot use such restraints.
James Crow noted that when he took his daughter Elizabeth to Smiles-R-Us, he was not allowed into the exam room.
“We were sitting out in the waiting room and all of a sudden, we heard somebody screaming,” Evelyn Crow, Elizabeth’s grandmother, said.
When James rushed into the examination room, he found his daughter unattended and physically restrained.
“I couldn’t see my kid in the body bag just strapped down to the bed, I couldn’t handle it,” James said.
Evelyn carried her granddaughter, who was shaking out of fear, out of the room. When Evelyn questioned the dentist about the restraints, he simply replied that Elizabeth did not want to cooperate.
Though the restraining devices are legal, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry only recommends them in extreme cases. The device also should have informed consent from a parent.
According to the Smiles-R-Us office, a dentist has the freedom to use the device after parents sign a consent form. The Crow family said they were never notified of such a form.
Not allowed into the exam room? Shame on them in the first place for allowing a young girl alone in a room with stranger(s) and submitting to what seems like a suspicious demand. As far as legal goes, who gives a rats a$$?! Compliant sheeple.
Anytime a parent is not allowed to accompany their child,
ALARMS should go off.
When my son was young, and I took him to a “childrens dentist”,
I was not in the room with him… I don’t remember why, BUT
when he came out he had a hand print across his cheek from being grabbed, or slapped….. he told me right away about it, I questioned
the dentist and was told he was “not cooperating”.
WE NEVER WENT BACK THERE and
we warned everyone we knew about it.
If these ‘professionals’ don’t know how to deal with children,
GET A DIFFERENT LINE OF WORK!
Theres no way this would go on with my family .. No F-ing way