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Call 6: Columbus dentist has clean record

Posted at 11:11 PM, Apr 11, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-11 23:34:50-04

COLUMBUS, Ind. -- A North Vernon man says he woke up in shock at the hospital, only to learn he'd had a heart attack after a dentist pulled all of his teeth.

Donny Grigsby and his wife Amanda told RTV6 about their dental nightmare, and their ongoing struggle to learn why a dentist at White River Dental in Columbus pulled all of Grigsby's teeth.

PREVIOUS | Man wakes up in dentist's chair to find all his teeth pulled

The dentist who pulled Grigsby's teeth, Dr. Aaron Strickland, released a statement saying every patient and issue is different. He said every patient or legal guardian has the treatment explained to them thoroughly, and the proper consent forms are signed prior to any treatment.

Doug Bush, of the Indiana Dental Association, told RTV6 that the consent and explanation for a procedure typically varies from dentist to dentist and based on the procedure. But, he said, there should never be any surprises.

"That should never happen," he said. "Again, if I'm going in for any kind of medical procedure, whether a physician or a dentist, if anesthesia is involved, that probably increases the likelihood there are going to be extensive conversations. Time for questions and answers. Those issues are going to be discussed up front."

Indiana's professional licensing board says Dr. Strickland has had no complaints in the past 11 years he's been licensed in the state. Call 6 Investigates also couldn't find any evidence of previous medical malpractice suits filed against Strickland.

On Monday, Karen Cantou Consulting sent the following statement on behalf of Strickland:

“Thus far, we have contacted the patient seeking an authorization to release information to the press to respond to the patient’s allegation.

He declined to do so without authorization from his attorney. We then contacted the attorney that he identified that may be handling his case. The attorney then indicated she had not accepted the case, but did agree to review our treatment records to decide whether to take the case.

Earlier today, we provided all treatment records to the attorney and after reviewing them, she notified White River Dental’s attorney that she will not be representing the patient.

Unless the patient signs the authorization, that leaves us no alternative but to seek a court order authorizing us to respond to these defamatory allegations.

Our client has authorized the attorneys to prepare the pleadings to get such an order.” 

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