CBS Whistleblowers Kool Smiles episode, Dentists deal with the devil, Former employees take on pediatric dental chain, David vs Goliath, “They’re taking advantage of little kids,”
From the CBS Whistleblower TV Show.
“Whistleblower”: Former employees take on pediatric dental chain when they suspect the company of wrongdoing
What would you do if something just felt wrong at work? If you feared people could get hurt? Would you have the courage to blow the whistle?
Whistleblowers often risk their own safety to right a wrong they feel they witnessed. A new CBS series called “Whistleblower” tells the stories of heroic people who put everything on the line to expose wrongdoing. It is hosted by attorney Alex Ferrer, a former police officer and judge.
In the series premiere, airing tonight at 8/7c, Ferrer introduces people who blew the whistle on pediatric dental chain Kool Smiles. The former employees believe unsafe practices were used on young patients.
“I lived in fear every day … what I would face,” says Dr. Rai.
“I was scared. Did I think something might happen? You never know when money’s involved,” says Dr. Michael Greenwald.
It’s David vs. Goliath. “It’s a huge corporation. The intimidation is there,” says Rai.
Kool Smiles is a massive nationwide corporation with more than 120 clinics catering to kids.
“I was a dentist and I saw … unnecessary procedures, children being traumatized,” says Rai. “I was stressed to my eyeballs.”
“They’re taking advantage of little kids,” says Greenwald. “They were doing baby root canals on teeth that could’ve had regular fillings.”
“I would hear children crying at work. All day,” Rai tells Ferrer.
An online job posting caught the eye of Greenwald.
“Kool Smiles typically targeted … recipients of Medicaid,” he explains. “I thought it was just, wow, this is a great idea. We’re treating children. …They’re underserved. We’re gonna do some good.””
“But it was a deal with the devil.
Greenwald describes his first impression of working at Kool Smiles as “production.”
“Like a mill?” asks Ferrer.
“Like a mill. It’s — chicken nuggets [laughs] getting produced down a conveyor belt,” Greenwald explains.
Greenwald says corporate owners dictated the work to be done. “So each tooth went from a $30, $40 filling to a $500 gain,” he explains. “It was money. It was production.”
Greenwald says demands at Kool Smiles were dangerous.”
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