Dr. Melvin Ball is a part time professor at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. In December 2013 Dr. Ball was speaking with colleagues in teacher’s lounge at the university. During the conversation it’s alleged Dr. Ball voiced his opinion and confusion about Comfort Dental’s business model. Outrageous! (sarcasm). Comfort Dental is also targeting three other professors, Sally Preston, DMD; Thomas Borris, DDS, and James Woolum, DDS seeking $2.45 million in damages.
[My God, where were these campus speech police back in the 60’s. Berkley would have to close the campus if professors weren’t allowed to voice their opinions!]
Comfort Dental and it’s founder, president and CEO Rick Kushner, feel “they” were defamed when Dr. Ball spoke of his own experience as a doctor of dentistry saying, “I know you cannot provide consistent, quality dental care when all you care about is your bottom line.”
[I use the word “feel” loosely, since I’m not sure how a corporation actually “feels” anything. ]
Comfort Dental is also claiming they suffered damages because Dr. Ball stated he “can’t understand how he [Kushner] gets away with it.” God help those of us who do not hold an MBA! Comfort Dental also claims they suffered damages when Dr. Ball invoked Godwin’s law; allegedly Dr. Ball referred to Kushner as being “like Hitler”.
[Don’t ya wonder who the snitch is or how many there are? Must be several since they cover the entire campus apparently. Oh, wait, was all this detail obtained from surveillance cameras? Wouldn’t that be interesting. hmm… That could open up a while new area of law, criminal, tort and “s”ort…]
The complaint against Dr. Preston states she told her class it was typical of Comfort Dental dentist to do shoddy work after of her students related a story from a Comfort Dental patient who had come to the dental school’s emergency clinic for treatment after two trips to Comfort Dental where the patient was less than satisfied and left in pain.
[ I suspect any dental care provided by Dr. Rick A. Kushner would be highly illegal and unethical since his dental license is expired nearly 2 years ago – February 2012.]
According to the Borris complaint, Dr. Thomas Borris, gave a hypothetical situation during a lecture whereby crappy dental care sent said hypothetical patient to the emergency room.
As for the complaint against Dr. Woolum, Comfort Dental says he advised students not to work for Comfort Dental. He also implied to a colleague that Comfort Dental fails to provide proper dental care because it has a “business model to stick to.”
[I’m not sure what he’s so upset about, he advertises practicing dentistry “Lean and Mean.” Seems to me these professors were just elaborating on exactly what “Lean and Mean” entails.
]
[Check out this recent thread over at The Student Doctor Network]
I expect the reader of this is waiting for some sort of “just kidding” statement or a big “April Fools” announcement but it “ain’t a comin’’.
Comfort Dental v. Dr. Melvin Ball
Comfort Dental vs. Dr. Sally Preston
Comfort Dental vs. Dr. Thomas Borris
Comfort Dental v Dr. James Woolum
Comfort Dental other divisions:
Comfort Dental Partnerships
Comfort Dental Braces
Comfort Kids
Endodontics Comfort Dental
