FIRST PEOPLE IN THE LAS VEGAS
SHOOTER.
THESE RIGHT HERE ON 4.
TAKING A CHILD TO THE
DENTIST CAN BE STRESSFUL
ENOUGH.
BUT PARENTS ACCUSE ONE
DENTIST OF DOING UNNECESSARY
DENTAL WORK ON KIDS TO CASH IN.
HE HAS BEEN A LICENSED DENTIST
FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
HER PRACTICE IS UNDER SCRUTINY
AFTER A FACEBOOK POST.
WHAT PARENTS ARE QUESTIONING
AND WHY THE DEFINITION OF A
CAVITY ISN'T ALWAYS AS SIMPLE
AS IT SEEMS.
THEY HAVE MADE BRUSHING PART
OF THE ROUTINE WITH THEIR TWO
GIRLS.
SO IN JULY WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR
4-YEAR-OLD'S TIME TO GO TO THE
DENTIST THEY AGAIN DIDN'T
EXPECT MUCH TROUBLE.
AN INSURANCE EXCHANGE PUT HER
IN BURNSVILLE FOR THIS VISIT
AND DR.
SHE GOT HER TEETH CLEANED.
EVERYTHING WAS FINE.
THAT'S WHEN ELLEN'S FINE
SAID SHE WALKED IN TO DELIVER
THE BAD NEWS.
HER DAUGHTER HAD 9 CAVITIES, 4
NEEDED CROWNS.
I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH,
THERE'S NO WAY.
THE DOCTOR SUGGESTED THEY DO
THE PROCEDURE AT THE HOSPITAL.
THAT WAY HE HE WILL A WOULD BE
UNDER GENERAL ANESTHESIA.
NO MORE CANDY, NO MORE
SWEETS.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE SHE
BRUSHES.
I'M LIKE, WE ALREADY DO.
HAD GONE TO SCHOOL TO BE A
DENTAL ASSISTANT.
HE RETOOK HER X-RAYS AND
LOOKED AT ME AND SAID NO, SHE'S
GOT 3 CAVITIES AND ONE OF THEM
IS A WATCH.
THAT DENTIST POINTED TO TINY
CAVITIES, 2 ON THE TOP, AND 2
ON THE BOTTOM.
THE OTHER 6 WERE FINE.
A 717-DOLLAR PLAN VERSUS THE
2900-DOLLAR BILL.
WOULD THEY HAVE DRILLED INTO
SAFE TEETH OR JUST HAVE NOT
TREATED THEM, WHICH EITHER ON A
4-YEAR-OLD IS RIDICULOUS.
THE FINDINGS SENT MARINA TO
FACEBOOK WHERE SHE POSTED THE
STORY.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY PHONE
WAS JUST GOING OFF.
WHERE OTHER PARENTS SOON
SHARED DOZENS OF SIMILAR
COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EXPENSIVE
TREATMENT PLAN.
121 POSTS.
LESS THAN A YEAR AGO,
COURTY'S 6-YEAR-OLD GOT A CLEAN
BILL OF HEALTH BY A DIFFERENT
DENTIST.
THAT CHANGED IN AUGUST IN HER
CHAIR.
WE THEN FOUND OUT SHE NEEDED
4 FILINGS AND 6 CROWNS.
10 CAVITIES IN ALL.
AGAIN SHE RECOMMENDED GENERAL
ANESTHESIA AND A HOSPITAL TRIP.
MY HUSBAND WAS GIVING ME THE
EYES OF WE'RE GETTING A SECOND
GLOIN THAT SECOND OPINION
DETECTED 4 CAVITIES, 6 FEWER.
IN BOTH GIRL'S CASES THE
DENTIST WHO GAVE SECOND
OPINIONS SAID IT DIDN'T ADD UP.
SOMETHING WRONG IS HAPPENING
THERE.
SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT THAT
THERE'S SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN
OPINIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE
MYSELF.
WCCO TRIED FOR WEEKS TO ASK
HER ABOUT THESE CASES.
SHE NEVER RETURNED OUR CALLS.
FINALLY SOMEONE TOLD US THE
CLINIC WOULD HAVE NO COMMENT.
BEFORE THESE LATEST
COMPLAINTS THE BOARD OF
DENTISTRY INVESTIGATED HER
SINCE 2001, THE STATE NEVER
FOUND ANY WRONGDOING.
AND THE DETAILS CAN'T BE
DISCLOSED.
THERE REALLY HAS TO BE
TRUST.
HAS BEEN A PEDIATRIC DENTIST
FOR YEARS.
SHE DID WANT TO EXPLAIN HOW
PARENTS COULD HANDLE SUCH
SITUATIONS.
IF YOU GET 2 VERY DIFFERENT
OPINIONS THEN YOU DO WANT TO
QUESTION, WELL, EXACTLY WHERE
DO YOU SEE THESE CAVITIES AND
CAN YOU SHOW ME ON AN X-RAY
WHERE THESE ARE.
THIS IS A 5-YEAR-OLD PATIENT.
IN THIS CASE POINTS TO A
LARGE HOLE ON ONE TOOTH AND A
DARK SPOT REFLECTING ANOTHER.
THIS IS 2 AND THIS IS 3.
SHE SAYS 4 CAVITIES ARE
VISIBLE.
THEN WHEN WE RESTORE THIS
TOOTH.
THERE COULD BE 5 IN TOTAL.
IT'S IN BETWEEN THE TEETH WHERE
THE TEETH TOUCH TOGETHER.
THAT'S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN'T
SEE IN BETWEEN THE TEETH.
DR. FONG SAID IT'S POSSIBLE
DENTISTS COULD SEE AND TREAT
THINGS DIFFERENTLY ON 1 OR 2
TEETH.
DO KIDS BRUSH AND FLOSS?
WHAT DO THEY EAT AND DRINK
MOST.
MOST DENTISTS WILL CLEAN THE
SPOT, WHILE OTHERS WILL WANT TO
RESTORE THE SURFACE RIGHT AWAY.
THERE IS GRAY AREA AND
THAT'S WHERE YOUR TRAINING
COMES IN.
BUT DR. FONG BELIEVES MOST
DENTISTS ARE ON THE SAME PAGE
AND THEY ARE TOLD TO AVOID
DRILLING IF NECESSARY.
I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT
DOESN'T HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST I
CAN SAY.
IF IT'S 1 OR 2, I CAN SEE IT
BUT THERE'S QUITE A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN 3 AND 9.
THEY WANT TO SEND A WARNING
BEFORE MORE LITTLE PATIENTS
OPEN WIDE.
HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE DOES
SHE SEE THAT ARE NOT IN THE
GROUP, THAT ARE NOT AWARE OF
THIS?
AND HOW MANY PEOPLE JUST GO
WITH THE FLOW, JUST BELIEVE
WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY.
NEVER KNOWING ANY DIFFERENT.
DR. AL VEES OWES WORKS FOR
AN ASSOCIATION.
DENTISTS LIKE HER ARE TYPICALLY
PAID ON COMMISSION BUT SHE
WOULDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTIONS