-WJLA SCRIPT-

ANCHOR:


NOW TO NEW INFORMATION IN OUR I-TEAM INVESTIGATION INTO DENTAL CARE FOR CHILDREN. ONE TROUBLING ASPECT... THE SEPARATION OF PARENTS FROM THEIR CHILDREN DURING DENTAL PROCEDURES…A POLICY THE COMPANY UNDER INVESTIGATION NOW DENIES. WE'VE RECEIVED AN EXTRAORDINARY REACTION TO THESE SPECIAL REPORTS. TONIGHT THE I-TEAM'S ROBERTA BASKIN IS HERE WITH MORE ON THAT.

ROBERTA BASKIN:


SMALL SMILES PARENT COMPANY FLAT OUT DENIES HAVING ANY SUCH POLICY THAT CHILDREN BE SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS. BUT THE I-TEAM HAS HEARD JUST THE OPPOSITE FROM NUMEROUS PARENTS, AND FORMER SMALL SMILES DENTISTS AND ASSISTANTS. 

STORY:


OUR FIRST REPORT INVESTIGATED THE POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF LOCAL SMALL SMILES CLINICS. SINCE PARENTS COULDN'T ACCOMPANY THEIR CHILDREN, MIGUEL'S MOTHER COULDN'T KNOW THIS: 

· HER SON STRAPPED TO A PAPOOSE BOARD TO IMMOBILIZE HIM
· HIS NOSE PINCHED SHUT TO OPEN HIS MOUTH
· AND CRYING FOR HIS MOTHER, WHO NEVER CAME

IT'S BEEN MORE THAN TWO MONTHS SINCE THAT VISIT TO SMALL SMILES. AND MIGUEL'S MOTHER SAYS HE'S STILL TRAUMATIZED.

Ana Maria Mejia: "When we pass by that place, there is a grocery store close to it. He is so scared and he tells me 'NO' and he cries. He doesn't want to get out of the car."

FORMER SMALL SMILES DENTAL ASSISTANTS TOLD US FIRST HAND WHAT HAPPENS TO CHILDREN IN THE BACK.

Trina: "It's terrifying for them. They cry. They scream. They want their mommies."
RBASKIN: "Can any of the parents go back there?
Trina: No. They tell them that is the law, that they're not allowed back there, which is totally false."

THE LEAD DENTIST IN THE SMALL SMILES CLINIC IN LANGLEY PARK TOLD US SEPARATING PARENTS AND CHILDREN IS NOT ONLY COMPANY POLICY, BUT A FEDERAL REGULATION.

Dr. Aldred Williams: "If you can imagine a clinic seeing 80, 85 patients in a day, and all of their parents are back, roaming around, all over the clinic, it is a violation of HIPAA regulations."

THIS STATEMENT FROM COMPANY HEADQUARTERS TO THE I-TEAM SAYS ITS DENTIST MISSPOKE:

· "SMALL SMILES HAS NO POLICY THAT PROHIBITS PARENTS IN THE TREATMENT AREA."
· AND GOES ON TO SAY ITS: "FAMILY-FRIENDLY POLICY ENCOURAGES OUR DENTISTS TO ALLOW PARENTS IN THE TREATMENT AREA…"

*BUT THE I-TEAM OBTAINED: THE "SMALL SMILES DENTAL CLINIC MANUAL (OF) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES." RIGHT THERE ON PAGE 4 UNDER "PARENTAL MANAGEMENT" IT OUTLINES WHY PARENTS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE ROOM…WITH THE ONLY EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE: THE SEVERELY HANDICAPPED AND DEAF CHILDREN NEEDING A TRANSLATOR.

NUMEROUS E-MAILS FROM SMALL SMILES CUSTOMERS HERE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY ALSO COMPLAINED.

THE MOTHER OF A 10 MONTH OLD BABY WROTE: "I COULD NOT COME BACK WITH HIM."
THE MOTHER OF A 4-YEAR OLD WROTE: "I WAS TOLD TO WAIT IN THE WAITING AREA."
AND FROM TULSA: "MY SON COULD HAVE DIED!" "THEY WOULD NOT LET ME GO BACK WITH HIM."

ANA MARIA MEJIA HAS BEEN TELLING HER FRIENDS WHAT HAPPENED TO HER SON AT SMALL SMILES. SHE WANTS MORE MOTHERS TO KNOW…

Ana: "I want parents always to be with their kids. Whatever doctor they're going to because anything can happen. We don't know what is going on." 

BASKIN IN STUDIO:

MIGUEL NOW GOES TO A DENTIST WHO INSISTS THAT PARENTS BE PRESENT. YOU SHOULD KNOW... FOUR OUT OF FIVE DENTISTS WON'T TAKE KIDS ON MEDICAID. THE MANAGEMENT OF SMALL SMILES HEADQUARTERS CALLED ME LATE TONIGHT AND AGAIN INSISTED IT'S NOT COMPANY POLICY TO SEPARATE PARENTS AND CHILDREN DURING TREATMENTS.
THE COMPANY CALLS IT A "PRACTICE" THAT'S UP TO THE DENTIST AND PARENT. YOU CAN FIND ALL OUR REPORTS ON THIS I-TEAM INVESTIGATION AT WJLA DOT COM.