A dentist is defending herself after a viral video showed her saying she would give worse care to patients who weren’t Trump supporters. She now claims the comments were a joke made years ago at a political event.
The Viral Video
Dr. Harleen Grewal was seen discussing a red hat that she wears that reads, “Make Your Smile Great Again.” In the clip, she says: “So I wear that when I work on my patients, so when they look horrified or complain, I quietly cut back on the laughing gas.”The video, which resurfaced online recently, prompted backlash and a review by the California Dental Board.
According to PEOPLE, Grewal says the comments were taken out of context and recorded two years ago at a Santa Clarita Republican Party meeting. “They asked me if I said that, and I said, ‘Yes, I said in one of my roasting speeches at a women’s Republican group,’” she explained. “Just like the Democrats, they make jokes too. We make jokes as well.”
She added that the video was weaponized against her: “They used the video to get me canceled.”
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The Dental Board Investigation
Grewal said the California Dental Board investigated but found no wrongdoing. She explained that there was no evidence that her comments reflected her actual dental practices. The board ultimately cleared her of any violations.
While Grewal insists her comments were intended as satire, critics argue that joking about harming patients crosses a professional line. For now, she remains licensed to practice and says the controversy reflects the divisive political climate.