An Innu mother talks about a harrowing experience with a dentist at Janeway Children’s Hospital in St. John’s, which she says left her three-year-old son “traumatized.” Pishum Penashue, who lives in Sheshatshiu, told Labrador Morning that the “rushed” dental procedure left her son screaming in pain and the dentist ignored her pleas to stop. Penashue brought her son, Owen, to cover eight teeth on Janeway. She said the dentist gave her son laughing gas before giving him needles to numb his teeth. The dentist then began to drill the lower teeth. “That’s when Owen jumped up and felt the pain,” Penashue said. “He said ‘ouch’ to the dentist, but he wouldn’t stop. Then I told him to stop.” Penashue said the dentist stopped and told her Owen wasn’t actually in pain. “He said, ‘a lot of kids go through this, they get scared and it’s just the texture or the vibration that scares them,’” she said. Penashue said the dentist continued and her friend had to help hold Owen. “The dentist held my son’s head down, opened his mouth with a piece of metal,” she said.
‘Heartbreaking’
Penashue said she believes the mask used to administer the laughing gas was improperly placed on her son’s face. She said she asked if Owen could sleep, but the dentist said a new appointment would have to be scheduled at an OR. She said her son’s gums were bleeding. “The dentist kept trying to put the silver caps on his teeth and he just ripped them off and then tried to stick them on,” she said. In a statement provided to CBC News, Eastern Health said it could not comment on specific patient specifics, but said treatment options and techniques for pediatric patients are designed “to ensure safety and well-being.” “We appreciate the concerns raised in this situation and are committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure safe and quality care is provided to patients. We welcome feedback about the care and services we provide,” the statement said. Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Center treats patients from across the province. (Paul Daly/CBC) According to Eastern Health, parents and guardians provide informed consent for any child under the age of 16 and are encouraged to discuss treatment options with their healthcare provider. “Dentists at Janeway work with parents/guardians and, where appropriate, the child to find a balanced and individualized treatment approach that takes into account the child’s cognitive age, maturity level, urgency of care, wishes family and the extent of treatment needed,” the statement said. Penashue said her son’s treatment was “wrong.” “It was really heartbreaking for me to see him go through that. I just wish I would have stopped it when I had the chance,” she said.
“Is this normal?”
Penashue said the dentist also appeared to be in a rush to complete the procedure. “He told me everyone was supposed to be down in 10 minutes,” he said. “I really wish they were more careful.” In a statement, the Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association also said it could not comment on specifics about individual patients, but said “behavioral guidance decisions” are made by the individual child and situation. “The NLDA trusts that all dentists working in Newfoundland and Labrador, including our pediatric dentists in Janeway, do everything they can to minimize any concerns or fears from patients while in the dental chair,” the statement said. Penashue later said her son had nightmares about the date. “She woke up screaming and crying,” she said. Penashue’s father and Owen’s grandfather, Paul Rich, said he knew something was wrong when his daughter called after the date. “Is this a normal process? Is it normal for a three year old to be treated like this?” asked. Rich wants to see more health care services, such as dentistry, closer to home. “I’m very upset and very hurt, whether it’s the Innu or the Inuit or anyone here from Labrador who has had similar experiences when we have to take our people out and treat them.” Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
