Dentist Scare in Orange County: Lake Forest Families, Stay Advised

LAKE FOREST, CA — It's enough to make you rethink your own dentist. Reports are in of an Anaheim doctor who left at least seven at most 500 children at risk of serious bacterial infections.

Seven children who underwent the same dental procedure at an Anaheim clinic contracted serious bacterial infections requiring hospitalization, it was reported today.

Health officials have set about contacting the parents of about 500 other children who have also been treated at the clinic, according to The Orange County Register, which reported that all of the hospitalized children underwent pulpotomies -- root canal-type procedures done on baby teeth -- at Children's Dental Group since May 3.

The clinic stopped performing the procedure last week, the Orange County Health Care Agency reported to The Register.

"We follow industry standard sterilization and preventative practices and have looked closely at these, as well as reviewing our practices with the Orange County Health Agency," Sam Gruenbaum, CEO of the Children's Dental Group, told the newspaper. "We care deeply about out patients and are doing everything we can to resolve this."

Shutterstock Image