A well-known Yucca Valley Dentist with a long-time established practice is calling the Morongo Basin Health Care District to task for the actions of the Dentists that work in the Community Health Clinics in Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley. Dr. Sheldon Hough told Z107.7 news he was hired to audit the charts of the two doctors that they have hired and was outraged that both dentists treat children without anesthetic which he called “barbaric,” medical battery, and “an assault on the children.”
Hough said he brought his concerns about the treatment methods to the Healthcare District board, as well as an evaluation which said the charts were not up to even minimal standards and that X-rays are poor. He said he audited the doctors who, in his opinion, are “running amok,” and when he offered suggestions on how to improve or lessen the chance of a malpractice suit or liability of district, he was terminated.
Hough accused the elected Morongo Basin Healthcare District Board and administration of “Putting personal politics and power above treating patients. Board members and the CEO are protecting these doctors at the cost of suffering of patients and the legal liability of the district.”
Laura Grabow, a member of the clinic’s operating board who teaches dental assisting and X-ray operation for Morongo Unified Schools concurred, saying, “Dr. Hough is 100% correct in his findings.” Grabow said, “I am resigning from the Care Quality Board because of the findings regarding the operations of the dental portion of the Community Health Clinics.”
The district responded to the accusations with a written statement:
1. It is our practice to not comment on any personnel actions.
2. Our dentists are widely recognized for their compassion and caring attitude, which is echoed by many of our patients and their families. They follow industry best practices. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recognizes behavior guidance techniques, both non-pharmalogical and pharmalogical, that are used to alleviate anxiety, nurture a positive dental attitude, and perform quality oral health care. Selection of the technique must be tailored to the needs of the individual patient. The simplest and most effective method of reducing pain during dental procedures is via an injection of local anesthetic. Unfortunately, the anticipation of receiving a “shot” tends to increase anxiety in the pediatric and even the adult patient. Most adults are willing to subject themselves to the minor discomfort of the injection because they know the result will be a more comfortable experience. However, younger children do not have the ability to do this and thus may exhibit negative behavior before, during and after the injection process. This can create a lifetime of fearing the dentist. Therefore, many dentists, wishing to circumvent such negative behavior, forego administering local anesthesia for dental procedures. "Therefore, our dental team treats each patient on a case by case basis."
