A dentist, a body bag, a screaming child and an angry father, are all part of a shocking story. James Crow, a dad from Georgia, is beyond angry after discovering that a Smiles-R-Us dentist took it upon himself to use a body bag to restrain his little girl because she did not want to cooperate.
A dentist used a body bag to hold down an uncooperative child without telling the parents beforehand, and the story goes viral.
Earlier this week, James Crow accompanied his 5-year-old daughter, Elizabeth Crow, to a Smiles-R-Us dental office in Carrollton, Georgia to have a front tooth removed.
Elizabeth Crow’s grandmother, Evelyn Crow, was also present at the medical office. It is not known why, but at some point James Crow left his daughter alone with Dr. Jamey Chung, who was supposed to handle the dental procedure.
As James Crow sat in the waiting area with his mother, he heard his child crying and screaming in the operating room. Worried and scared, Mr. Crow rushed to his daughter’s side and was stopped by the receptionist, who told him he was not allowed inside.
Crow ignored the employee’s request and ran into the operation room and was shocked to discover that his daughter was all by herself, in a body bag attached to a papoose board.
Dentists and other medical professionals use the controversial papoose board to hold down uncooperative children. Mr. Crow revealed:
“I couldn’t see my kid in the body bag just strapped down to the bed; I couldn’t handle it.”
When the granny demanded why the child was in the body bag, staff members told her that the 5-year-old refused to stay quiet and would not obey the doctor.
The mother and son did sign a consent form prior to the operation, but they claimed that they were unaware that a body bag would be used on the child. The doctor only mentioned laughing gas.
While the family is angered by the dentist’s actions and they are thinking of suing, they have little chance of winning in a court of law. According to the Georgia Board of Dentistry, dentists are allowed to use restraint devices.
Experts say that before signing any dentist consent form, it is important to make sure that it has a lot of information and not hesitate to ask a question and refuse options if they make you uncomfortable.
But the law still plays a part by requiring dentists to provide enough information for patients to make informed decisions about their dental care, and this information must be consistent with a professional standard of care. The following should always be included in this information:
· The reason why the dental treatment is necessary
· What the proposed treatment will be
· Any alternative treatments
· The benefits vs. risks of the treatment
· Who will perform the procedure
· A way for patients to ask question
Teach your kids how to behave if you are going to take them to the dentist.
Teach the dental facility how to handle children’s fears properly and those kinds of medieval treatments won’t be necessary. Having that done to a child is horrendous and could scar someone for life.
When you have a situation like this your options are limited.
1 Modify the childs behavior, this is ideal, but anyone that has had experience dealing with children knows there are times that there is just no chance you will get the child to cooperate.
2 Restrain the child and proceed with treatment.
3 Sedate the child
4 Suspend treatment and attempt at a later date.
It should be the parent that makes the choice.
Remember the child is there because of dental disease and it will only get worse left untreated.
To lakawak, you don’t “teach” a five year old child to behave when they are terrified and without a parent to calm their fears. If you have children, I feel for them because you are a controlling idiot! It’s the dentist who needs to learn how to behave with children. Having the parent or grandparent in the room is the first step. The second step is to explain to the child beforehand what is necessary and then to give the child just enough laughing gas to help. There is no nice way to address this cruel treatment by a dentist who shouldn’t be allowed to touch a child under the age of 15!
couldn’t help but to notice that dad had time to snap a picture despite the obvious terror the child was experiencing. granted, the dentist is a dumbass.