Sometime between radio and coming to work for PJ Media, I was a content writer for a company that creates websites for dentists. In order to do that, I had to spend some time learning about dental care and oral health. To this day, I remain a walking repository of dental knowledge and trivia—so much so that in the past, friends would ask me what they needed to do about various dental problems. I would advise them that they needed to see their dentist.
But I did learn a great deal about oral health. Did you know that there is a right way to brush and a right way to floss? I also learned that under no circumstances does anyone want to develop gum disease. Believe me, gum disease can lead to all sorts of serious problems beyond bad breath and lost teeth, although no one wants those issues, either.
I say this to show that I am a proponent of good oral health. It is also a fact that there are some parents or guardians who do not take the necessary steps to ensure that their children remain healthy.
But who is in charge of making decisions about a child's health care? What happens when a system decides that a one-size-fits-all policy should be applied to every child, even if the child in question is not at risk for problems? What happens when the administrative system matters more than the people it is supposed to serve?
Alicia McQueen is a mother of two children in the Laurel County School District in Southeastern Kentucky. McQueen takes her children in for their regular dental visits, and so far, they have both had a clean bill of oral health. However, the school district does not agree and wants her children to have dental procedures while under nitrous oxide.
The Publica notes that in this area of Kentucky, there is a program that provides dental care for children who might not otherwise be able to receive it. McQueen said that a bus came to her kids' school to give the children cleanings. McQueen consented. To her, it was no big deal.
Not long afterward, McQueen got a letter in the mail. The letter said that her children's teeth had "abnormalities," and McQueen would need to give her consent for further treatment. She found this odd since her family dentist said nothing was wrong with her children's smiles. She contacted the school, which said the matter was out of its hands.
McQueen later got a phone call informing her that her children had tooth decay and would need, among other treatments, root canals. Another consent form was on the way that would include...wait for it...a request for insurance information. McQueen said of the phone call:
She told me that once the procedures were being done, which would be done over a consecutive amount of days, that my children would have to miss school because they’ll have to be placed under that laughing gas, anesthesia. I was then told that I would not be allowed to be there. And they would call me whenever it was time to pick them up.
Just to be on the safe side, McQueen took her kids back to her family dentist. Again, the dentist gave the children an "all clear." McQueen then got a call from the school's dentist, who informed her that her kids were scheduled for oral surgery despite the fact that she had not signed a consent form. Ultimately, McQueen was told that if she did not sign the consent form for her children's surgery, she would be placed under investigation.
McQueen took her case to social media and was told by parents that under this program, their children had suffered from lost and decayed teeth and infections, required hospitalization, and had even been sexually assaulted. She has found an ally in Kentucky House Representative Josh Calloway.
🚨UPDATE! 🚨I have made contact with Alicia! She is being connected with Representative Josh Calloway (@CallowayforKY) and we are going to advocate for her to make sure the school and the "dentist" program they are using get their hands off her children. https://t.co/3yMJHpDgJH
— Sarah Fields (@SarahisCensored) April 16, 2024
In case anyone was wondering, this is what government care looks like. While no one can argue that there are children who do not have access to medical care, it is important to note that the government entity decided the children had cavities and needed root canals, even as their dentist said the reverse was true. The government wanted McQueen's insurance information since those programs don't pay for themselves. Not only did the school schedule the procedures without McQueen's consent, but it threatened her with an investigation for refusing to comply. In addition, we have accusations of substandard care and sexual abuse.
When the government says it is here to help, it means it is here to help itself.
