A ‘MAGA dentist’ is facing backlash after joking about removing laughing gas from patients who disagree with her politically
A self-proclaimed MAGA dentist has come under fire after joking about taking away pain-relieving gas from her Democrat patients.
Dr. Harleen Grewal made the joke during a speech at the Republican Liberty Gala in 2021. Still, it suddenly went viral on TikTok, causing people to leave bad reviews on Grewal’s Santa Clairta clinic.
“I have a secret hat I use sometimes, it says, ‘Make your smile great again,’” Grewal says in the clip. “So I wear that when I work with my patients, when they look horrified or complain, I quietly cut back on the laughing gas.”
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Grewal also joked about missing the days during the COVID-19 pandemic when “the Dems stayed home” with “their masks on.”
In another part of the clip, she made fun of the reactions from liberals when they see a photo wall of Republican leaders in her office, “You’d think their butt was on fire. They jump and take off as if Trump was coming in the room.”
While Grewal got heaps of laughter from the crowd, the internet didn’t find her quip that funny, and she received calls reporting her to the California Dental Board.
“Dental care by a dentist who acknowledges that she doesn’t control your pain based on your political party?” read a negative Yelp review. “How does she have a license to practice?”
Another person wrote: “This doctor bragged on video that she treats patients differently based on their political views. This is not just unprofessional. It is unethical and scary.”
Grewal’s clinic, Skyline Smiles, has received so many reviews in such a short time that Yelp has temporarily disabled the review function for the page, stating that due to increased attention, people are likely writing about their personal views rather than providing a firsthand consumer experience.
On Instagram, Grewal shared a post with the caption, “At Skyline Smiles, every patient is family. We treat all of our patients with the same level of care, compassion, and respect because that’s what you deserve!” However, as of Thursday evening, her account was disabled.
The outrage even caused a dental office in Chicago, also called Skyline Smiles, which has no affiliation with Grewal’s, to receive several one-star reviews due to people mistaking it for the MAGA dentist’s practice, Dr. Deepak Neduvelil, who owns the clinic, told the LA Times.
“It’s a free country. It’s free speech,” Grewal told Fox 11. “Nobody’s directly getting hurt from it. I’m making a joke. We all make jokes. And I’m sure the Democrats all get in a room and make fun of Republicans, too.”
However, a local activist group, Rise Up SCV, wasn’t laughing with Grewal. “It’s not a joke. Laughing about inflicting pain as a dentist is not a joke,” said Rebecca Hindman, who runs the group’s Facebook page. “We have communities that fear going to the dentist, and it can impact their health.
Hindman said that Grewal’s comments represent her and her business. Civil Rights Attorney, James DeSimone, told the outlet that Grewal could also open herself up to legal trouble, even if her words were just jokes.
“It is against the law to discriminate against someone based on their political beliefs,” he said. “When you have a dentist that says she’s deliberately treating you differently just because of your political beliefs, there doesn’t seem to be anything too funny about that.”
Grewal said that she and her clinic had already been investigated by the California Dental Board six months ago due to the video, saying that the board found nothing wrong.
“People should take light of the situation,” she said. “Relax, chill. It’s not that big of a deal to just make a joke every now and then.”
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