Most people don't love going to the dentist. Between the inevitable floss-shaming and the terrifying sound of the drills, it's not hard to understand why. But one Pennsylvania mom claims she has an entirely new (and ridiculous) reason to hate the dentist. Trey Hoyumpa is speaking out after she allegedly got a letter in the mail from her kids' dentist threatening to report her to CPS if she doesn't schedule another appointment.
"Got this letter in the mail today," Hoyumpa posted on Facebook, along with a photo of a letter with a Smiles 4 Keeps letterhead.
In case the letter is hard to read, it basically explains that Smiles 4 Keeps works to keep kids healthy through education and regular checkups. But then it takes a drastic turn: "According to the law, failure to bring your child in for dental care is neglect," it reads.
The letter threatens to report parents to authorities if they don't call the office and schedule an appointment within 30 days of receiving it — something Hoyumpa wrote is in line with other shady practices she's allegedly witnessed in their office. "Smiles4Keeps bullies the parents, controls the care behind closed doors, and turns parents into villains … and I will not stand for it anymore!!!" she wrote.
Hoyumpa says her kids had their last appointment at Smiles 4 Kids late last year, and after that visit, she decided not to return.
"In November, Smiles 4 Keeps said that my kids had seven cavities between them, which sounded outrageous," the mom told Yahoo Lifestyle. "I asked the receptionist to schedule both kids' [follow-up] appointments on the same day so I wouldn't have to take off work twice, and she refused. I got really angry because it showed that they didn't care about their patients."
Hoyumpa reportedly told the receptionist she wouldn't be coming back, not only because they wouldn't allow her to schedule same-day appointments for her kids, but also because she allegedly wasn't allowed to stay with her kids during their appointment and she wasn't allowed to meet the dentist.
Hoyumpa's post about the letter quickly went viral, prompting many to criticize the dental practice for essentially bullying parents.
Hoyumpa called the letter "extortion" and wrote that Smiles 4 Keeps was trying to intimidate parents out of seeking other providers. But Dr. Wezmar, a dentist at Smiles 4 Kids, defended the letter as an important tool for getting people to take kids' dental health seriously.
"People who got upset by that letter, they don't understand that dental problems can very rapidly turn into a very serious medical problem," Dr. Wezmar told WNEP. "It's only getting worse, unfortunately. And it's getting younger. The kids that are getting the care are getting younger … We really have to jar the parent to realize that with a child comes responsibility."
Smiles 4 Keeps also posted a a statement on Facebook defending its stance.
In the statement, the company reiterated that dentists have a responsibility to report negligence and abuse, and clarified that its letter is solely intended to emphasize the importance of kids' dental health.
"Letters that refer to dentists' mandate to report failure to seek necessary treatment are sent under specific conditions … and the letters are not sent unless attempts at multiple communications with the parents or guardians are unsuccessful or messages from our office remain unanswered. Letters are not sent after one missed treatment appointment," the statement explained. "If a parent or guardian chooses to take a child who requires treatment to another provider, we ask for the name of the new treating dentist so we can record the information in the patient's record. We remain responsible for the patient until the parent relays the name of the new dentist."
But Hoyumpa fired back at the company's response as well.
"I don't have to tell you where I go with my children nor do I have to tell you my plans for their future care. Go ahead and do your mandatory reporting on me and see the firestorm that follows. What I do with my kids' teeth after I LEAVE your office is none of your business," she wrote on her own Facebook page. "You ARE NOT the caregiver of my child WHEN I SAY that you are no longer the care giver, and NOT when YOU tell me so."
While it's true that dentists are mandated reporters in all 50 states — meaning they're obligated to alert authorities if they suspect abuse or neglect — the rules dictating what constitutes child neglect are murky at best. John Rutkauskas, CEO of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), provided a statement to Yahoo Lifestyle that explained, "The AAPD defines it [dental neglect] as 'willful failure of parent or guardian, despite adequate access to care, to seek and follow through with treatment necessary to ensure a level of oral health essential for adequate function and freedom from pain and infection.'"
He added that dentists must inform parents of kids' dental issues and adequately explain the consequences of delaying treatment, as well as do everything in their power to aid the family if barriers to care — such as cost or lack of insurance — exist. "If, despite these efforts, the parent fails to obtain therapy, the case should be reported to the appropriate child protective services agency," he said.
But Hoyumpa, who is in the process of finding a new dentist, told Yahoo Lifestyle she wasn't properly informed and doesn't think the letter is warranted. "I'm being accused of abuse without foundation," she said. "I wasn't in the exam room, no one showed me any cavities, and I haven't seen X-rays. Yet they have the gall to send me this letter."
