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
Should the family sue the dentist who used a body bag dealing with their child?
