An Arizona teen is at war with his dentist after he refused to give him his teeth after an extraction.
Samuel Vaughan, 18, had four teeth extracted by experienced dentist Dr. Ryan Barney, 53, at his Benson office.
The patient expected to leave with his teeth in hand, but was outraged when the dentist denied his request.
He became even more enraged when he learned that his teeth had been destroyed after the procedure.
“I walked into the office expecting to return with all four extracted teeth in my possession (and was never told anything to the contrary before the appointment),” Vaughan said. My Herald Review via email.
Samuel Vaughan, 18, is at war with his dentist after he refused to release his teeth following extraction.
“I left not only toothless, but also feeling victimized and lied to.”
The teenager was informed that the teeth could pose a health risk and therefore they were discarded as usual in the dental office.
But Vaughan claims he is the victim of “theft” and “fraud,” and has since filed complaints against the dentist and with the Arizona Dental Board.
He also went to the local police, who told him there was no criminal case to answer.
There are no federal laws prohibiting dentists from giving patients extracted teeth; however, best practices state that it should be avoided to minimize the spread of disease.
OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogen Standard considers teeth to be potentially infectious material and states that they should be handled accordingly.
“We don’t give our permanent teeth to anyone,” Dr. Barney said. ‘The blood they contain can transmit blood-borne diseases.
Dr. Ryan Barney refused to release four teeth after extraction, citing a possible risk of infection.
Vaughan was furious to learn that the dentist had gotten rid of his teeth and is now considering legal action.
‘What if I had touched a doorknob, or what if someone else had touched teeth and blood?’
He confirmed that while other patients have made similar requests, he has never made an exception in his 25 years as a dentist.
However, the explanation has done little to appease Vaughan, who is now contemplating legal action if his complaints are not addressed.
“It’s my teeth and it’s my blood,” he said. ‘I’m 100% going to file a lawsuit. Justice is not perfect, but it is the best we have.’
Dr Barney confirmed the dispute to DailyMail.com and said there was nothing more to add.