-WJLA Script-

Anchor:
MORE REACTION TO OUR I-TEAM REPORT ON SMALL SMILES DENTAL CARE FROM THE COMPANY THAT MANAGES THE NATIONAL FOR-PROFIT NETWORK OF CLINICS. THE STATEMENT, DELIVERED TO ABC NEWS, ANNOUNCES THAT OUR FINDINGS ABOUT CARE IN TWO WASHINGTON AREA CLINICS HAVE SPARKED AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION.

ROBERTA BASKIN IS HERE WITH THE LATEST.  

Roberta Baskin:
THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY IS CALLED FORBA, MEANING FOR BETTER ACCESS. FROM ITS MAIN OFFICES IN NASHVILLE AND COLORADO, FORBA OVERSEES A NETWORK OF 63 CLINICS THAT SERVE AN UNDER SERVED POPULATION - CHILDREN ON MEDICAID.

IN ITS WRITTEN RESPONSE, SMALL SMILES MANAGEMENT DISTANCED ITSELF FROM PRACTICES WE DOCUMENTED AT ITS CLINICS IN SUBURBAN MARYLAND AND THE DISTRICT.

Story:
Nat sound: "You're going to become a burrito."

Small Smiles management company says papoose boards like this are rarely used to restrain children at its clinics.

But they are used at the clinic in Langley Park and the District, where the lead dentist said most small children need to be restrained to get the work done efficiently.

Dr. Aldred Williams: "You could potentially spend two hours on a kid who's not stabilized and moving around. That's not cost productive for us." 

As for separating parents from children, the parent company says: "Small Smiles has no policy that prohibits parents in the treatment area" …And it isn't required by federal privacy rules known as HIPAA.

But again, Dr. Williams told us differently.

Dr. Williams: "It is a violation of HIPAA regulations. I mean they would be privy to information that normally they shouldn't be seeing." The company says "one of the dentists quoted in the reports mis-spoke."

The chairman of FORBA argues this sign in the District clinic "…does not explicitly say that it is a HIPAA violation for parents to accompany their child…"

But read it yourself:

"…to protect our patients privacy and continue to be HIPAA compliant, parents or guardians must wait in the lobby…"

The company says it takes all allegations seriously and to "ensure full compliance" with the law, it will check into our reports that uncertified staff in Langley Park were taking x-rays.

But former dental assistants told us: Trina Crosby, Former Dental Assistant: "I was personally asked in my interview, 'Was I x-ray certified?' And I said no." 

She wasn't the only one.

Crosby: "Well, there was 16 assistants at first. none of us were certified."

Baskin: "And you were giving x-rays?" Crosby: "yes."

Baskin: "All of you?" Crosby: "All of us." 

The company's Chairman and CEO said we twisted the facts with alarming footage that does not tell the whole story.

However, it told enough of a story for this well respected pediatric dentist to respond: Dr. Robert Camps: "It's torture for me to watch this."

Roberta Baskin:
WE'VE HAD AN UNPRECEDENTED RESPONSE FROM VIEWERS, INCLUDING MANY DENTISTS AND DENTAL ASSISTANTS WHO'VE ENCOURAGED US TO CONTINUE REPORTING ON THIS.

To See Part 1: CLICK HERE 

To See Part 2: CLICK HERE

To See The 11 p.m. (Nov. 5) Version Of Story: CLICK HERE

Questions About Dentistry Or To Find A Dentist: CLICK HERE

To Register A Complaint: CLICK HERE

To view extended interviews: CLICK HERE