Shocked is more like it. I’m told their attorney’s about flipped, when they saw their 
Features the parents of little Isaac and the nightmares which haunt him; the mean dentist who “got” Isaac - Dr. Alvin Coon attempting to run over the reporter: and an Interview with the Gagnon family’s attorney, James Moriarty.
If you have inside information, are an ex-employee - like the one in this story- who wants to stop this child abuse or a parent whose child has suffered at the hands of these Mobile Dental vans, please email me. Surely we can stop this child abuse together.
Here is Inside Edition’s report:
INSIDE EDITION Investigates Mobile Dentistry
Aired September 11, 2012
It sounds like a good idea - mobile dentists sent to schools to provide dental care for needy children in classrooms and school parking lots. But some families are now crying foul, saying their kids were harmed by dentists drilling for dollars.
Darren and Stacey Gagnon say their four-year-old son Isaac was given two baby root canals and two steel crowns by a dentistscheduled to visit Isaac’s school after the school contracted with a company called ReachOut Healthcare America.
What’s worse, say the Gagnon’s, is that the dentist, Dr. Alvin Coon (who they never met) performed the operations without their consent in of all places - the school’ art room in Camp Verde, AZ.
“I couldn’t believe that they were doing these procedures in a classroom,” said Stacy Gagnon.
She also says Isaac was never given any anesthetic or medication to numb the pain.
“We found that 3 adults held him down while he kicked and screamed and gagged to get away from them,” said Stacy Gagnon.
Today, she claims the experience was so traumatic, Isaac suffers from night terrors, which she recorded on her cell phone.“He just kept saying the dentist man got me, the dentist man got me,” said Stacy Gagnon.
Stacey says a recorded phone call she had with a ReachOut representative proves the work done on Isaac was performed without her permission:
ReachOut Representative: “The reason for my call is to inform the parents that we are going to have a dentist at the school…”Stacy says she agreed to a basic examination but specifically asked for prior notification before any serious work was needed on Isaac.
Stacey: “Can I get a call first.”
ReachOut Representative: “…I'll put that if they need anything else, for them to contact you first, ok?...”
Stacey: “Right, ok.”
But Stacey says she never received a phone call and was shocked when Isaac came home from school with those steel crowns.She says a pediatric dentist who later examined Isaac’s mouth concluded the work was not only unnecessary but not even done properly.
“The more kids they see, the more work they do, the more money they make. It’s outrageous. He deserves to go to jail for what he did,” said Darren Gagnon.
INSIDE EDITION’s Chief Investigative Correspondent Lisa Guerrero tried to speak with Dr. Coon as he was leaving a McDonalds.
“Dr. Coon, we'd like to talk to you about a little boy you operated on without his parent’s permission,” said Guerrero.
But Dr. Coon didn’t want to talk and hurried to get into his car.
“Why won't you speak with us? Are you performing too much work on too many kids in order to maximize profits?” asked Guerrero as Dr. Coon reversed out of his parking space.
But before Guerrero could get out of the way, Dr. Coon hit the gas and tried to run her down. Guerrero was clipped in the leg as Dr. Coon sped off.
Houston, TX trial lawyer Jim Moriarty is representing the Gagnons, who are now suing Dr. Coon for malpractice.
“There is no excuse for these children to be receiving dental care at school. These children are completely helpless,” said Moriarty.
Dr. Coon denies he did anything wrong.
The Gagnon’s are also suing Reachout Healthcare America – the company that scheduled Isaac’s appointment with Dr. Coon – accusing them of raking in millions of taxpayer dollars by performing excessive procedures on traumatized kids.
ReachOut Healthcare America denies the allegations and says they provide valuable services for underprivileged children who might otherwise never see a dentist. ReachOut says they do not employ any dentists or make patient care decisions for the mobile dentists they schedule school visits with in over 21 states.
It turns out ReachOut is actually owned by Morgan Stanley – one of the largest private equity companies in the country.
Although Morgan Stanley has not been named in the Gagnon’s suit, Moriarty believes that Morgan Stanley’s bottom line is putting profits ahead of patients.
“It’s all about numbers, its all about income, its all about profits. It’s not about healthcare at all,” said Moriarty.
Morgan Stanley declined to comment.
Dental assistant Christi Morton says she quit her job after just two months of working at schools Reachout scheduled her to visit after she witnessed children repeatedly getting poor care for the sake of increased profits.
“It was terrible. I saw some [kids] upset. Some were vomiting, walking around with trashcans,” Morton told Guerrero.
After complaints similar to the Gagnon’s came in from parents in Clark Country – the nations’ fifth largest school district – school officials canceled their contract with ReachOut.
And two U.S. Senators are currently investigating ReachOut for possible allegations of Medicaid fraud.
ReachOut declined an on-camera interview and in a statement said they “take any concern raised by a parent very seriously.”
Related Inside Edition Reports:
Inside Edition Investigates Use of Papoose Board in Dentistry – April 26, 2012
Other ReachOut Healthcare America Stories:
Dental care in America: A study in austerity, neglect and profiteering – September 2, 2012
Reminding the public about ReachOut Healthcare America - Big Smiles Mobile Dental Clinics - One More Child Foundation - August 28, 2012
ReachOut Healthcare America – “Big Smiles” complaint in Michigan August 12, 2012
Story of Isaac Gagnon mysteriously missing from local Arizona TV station - July 10, 2012
Bloomberg – Dental Abuse Seen Driven by Private Equity – May 16, 2012
Healthy Senior Dental, LTD = ReachOut Healthcare America for grandma and grandpa
If you have inside information, are an ex-employee - like the one in this story- who wants to stop this child abuse or a parent whose child has suffered at the hands of these Mobile Dental vans, please email me. Surely we can stop this child abuse together.
On a side note before you get started, the Big Smiles “In The News” webpages doesn’t say one tiny thing about all the “real” news in which they have been featured. Just thought it was funny.
