My husband checked them in, and the receptionist told him it was Small Smiles' practice to have parents wait in the waiting room while the kids went back. So he did. Neither of us had any reason to think anything would happen beyond a cursory check-up, cleaning, a free toothbrush, mini-tube of Crest and some of those chewable red tablets dentists give kids to help teach them about plaque. Even if a cavity was found in their mouths, they're called "baby teeth" right? They'd soon fall out.
I was already home when they returned a few hours later; my husband carried our 4 year old inside and set him down on the sofa. I immediately saw that his lips were puffy and swollen, with flecks of dried blood here and there...and he looked utterly dazed. "Come here, Ben, show Mama what the dentist did," I said, smiling wanly. He looked at me with haunted eyes, shook his head 'no' wordlessly, then zombie-walked into our coat closet and promptly fell asleep on the small pile of coats that the teenagers are always too lazy to hang - like a scared, injured cat!
Alarmed, I asked my husband what happened - he told me the dentist said he'd found a cavity and found it necessary to perform A ROOT CANAL AND CROWN PROCEDURE ON OUR 4-YEAR-OLD SON'S FRONT TOOTH! The only accurate description of what happened next is "matriarchal melt-down!"
I called and spoke to reception, dental technicians, x-ray technicians, and the dentist himself, demanding to know why the kids had to go back without their parent(s), why hadn't my husband been informed of the procedure beforehand, and what on earth could have justified such major work to be done on a small child!? The line of DDS BS that proceeded forth held few answers - they did make mention, however, that our son had been scared and struggled throughout the procedure.
I couldn't even bring myself to begin to wonder what that meant. We all felt so bad. It was at least three days later before our son stopped acting traumatized; he never spoke of it, and claims now not to remember. He remains, however, terrified at the thought of going to the dentist.
Six months later, I was watching TV with my 16 year old son. Flipping through the channels, we saw that 20/20 had a feature on Small Smiles that night; without a word, we knew what we'd be watching...sorta - as much as one can see, that is, when THEY'RE COVERING THEIR EYES IN SHOCK, HORROR AND DISBELIEF! At that moment, there was no guise of "tough-guy teen" or "unshakeable mom"...for we both wept openly at what we saw.
Of course we NEVER took ANY of our kids there again...though every so often, still receive phone calls and postcards reminding us of our last visit and exhorting us to schedule another. I shudder whenever I see the name on the caller i.d.
Typing this for you now, I wept along with my husband at the very recollection of it. We love our kids So Much...and will NEVER stop blaming ourselves for what we now know must have taken place; indeed, I shrink to think of it...and on bad days when I do, my heart, mind and soul become shrouded in a pall of dread for our children, ourselves and all of humanity.
It’s not like I don’t know the difference between good and bad dental care, ya know; we haven't always poor. But we are now - what are poor people to do? Oftentimes, the only way poor people can get anywhere is to walk…and so the powers that be shut down walkable neighborhood schools in low-income areas - to save money; they close nearby community centers and sports complexes in low-income areas - to save money; they eliminate bus routes in low-income neighborhoods…to save 30 seconds - and some money.
DENVER - The practice of strapping children to boards in dental offices will be restricted, a state board decided Wednesday. Starting Jan. 1, 2005, kids can't be restrained on "papoose boards" unless a dentist has considered all other less-restrictive attempts to manage the child's behavior. The rules also say if boards are used, the dentist must document, in the patient's record, the reason for the use.
Too bad the district's advertising never mentioned this; our gentle Ben was held down by the dental assistants and strapped down to a papoose board and God only knows what else in Spring 2008! To show my good will and desire for truth in advertising, however, here’s a more accurate ad campaign I’ve drawn up at no charge for Small Smiles and their partners-in-crime, District 11 Business Services; you are free to use it on whatever advertising needs may arise! 
Not to sound greedy, but…if there’s a class action suit we can join, SIGN US UP! We'd just LOVE to make a load of money the easy way - off of the blood, sweat and tears of our helpless child - and maybe then my Ben could enjoy the same educational opportunities, dental care, swimmin' pools and lunch-room pizza as Jan Tanner's Ben. Jan can definitely attest that class action is the way to go; retaining counsel and suing for educational or medical malpractice isn't something everyone can afford, after all, and frankly, WHO KNOWS WHAT TYPES OF ATTORNEYS ARE WITHIN MY WALKING DISTANCE?
Just to show what a racket all of this is: not a dime of Small Smiles’ $24 million settlement goes to any of the tortured victims, but goes rather to the notorious kidjackers at the Department of Human Services/Child Protection! If I'm not mistaken, DHS partners with the District to provide education services at the Spring Creek juvenile detention center - no doubt the District does all it can to funnel kids into that profit-making bonanza. Like in "Monsters, Inc.," it’s really too bad DHS and the District can’t figure out a way to earn money for each scream of terror, and/or charge “abusive” parents for each teardrop shed whilst trying to pull their kids back from the iron trap of DHS "protective custody" – it would make that $24 mill look like CHUMP CHANGE.
Snakes...leeches: the love of money is the root of ALL evil...these liars and thieves come in every age, shape, size, color, religion, gender identification, sexual orientation, credit and tax bracket. And yet these hypocrites all sit around pretending to throw money at "society's problems" and ruminate on why Johnny can’t read, is clueless, lazy and obese?? Smart – very smart! Maybe some Progressive Philosopher can solve these problems: quick, I've hear John "Valedictorian" Gudvangen recently put the finishing touches on his new curriculum "Sweatin' to the Accordion - Alphabet Songs and Sight Words" and needs some poor kids to try it out on!!! If it's pointless, costly and doesn't work...oh well, no harm, no foul!
We are told to trust our professionals; have faith that our doctors will do no harm, our cops will serve and protect; our pizza will be there in 30 minutes or it’s free, our elected officials are all just in it “for the kidsssss” and that no child will be left behind – ALL LIES, TOLD BY SHAMELESS LIARS. My fellow Coloradans, this is what the rest of the population can look forward to under socialized medicine – under socialism in general. Even given the example from Massachusetts, I fear most of us have forgotten the past ...the French Revolution, the Bolshevik Uprising, how the Nazi's stormed in and took over, etc., and because we've forgotten history, we are doomed to repeat it!!! I'm going to be doing a little less writing from here on out; probably going to be posting video and documents to help remind us all of that past, so that we may all know better what the very near future may actually hold.
Though the price of the screams of my son was too steep, even the oil of your greed and ruthlessness brings forth blessings; for it’s caused you to let slip your mask and finally reveal to me your true face: it is hideous. I give up on trying to re-open Adams Elementary; it's not gonna happen, I can see that now. The more I think about it, the District isn't even worthy of trying to teach my children to count to ten; I’m glad now that my two youngest are not and likely will never attend your schools! How fortunate am I to count myself among the last of the old school! This is not the same Colorado Springs, we are not the same people, and you are not the same school district nor will you ever be again! Fake, phony counterfeits; you clowns could never have taught me to write like I do today; to be sure, I write circles around every single one of you, and your half-stepping non-vocabulary-teaching teachers and useless learning resource technicians and all of your mumbo-jumbo education professionals. The plain and simple truth is that without any classroom training whatsoever, I’m confident in a classroom I could garner more respect and hold the attention more capably and raptly than most of your longest-tenured teachers.
Learning of the District's connection to the Small Smiles matter has been for me the ultimate betrayal, and sent me into a complete tailspin; shock and sadness have become leaden weights in my gut, distracting me with wave after wave of discordant thoughts...I could write forever, and there still wouldn't be any words, no words at all, to describe the cacophony of fury blazing and blaring through my head!!! Like Elin Woods, upon finding out goody-two-shoes Tiger is not merely a run of the mill cheatah, but an extraordinary, tasteless philanderer who revels in "unsafe" sex with countless plain-faced, flabby tramps...not nearly as beautiful as his wife and mother of his two children. I hope she used the five-iron.
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