Whistleblower accuses Tacoma pediatric dental chain of reusing disposable tools
The Washington State Dental Quality Assurance Commission is investigating after a whistleblower accused a Tacoma pediatric dental chain of reusing dental tools.
Lisa Walker said she quit her job as the office manager at the Smiles 4 Kids in the Allenmore B building after the dentist overseeing the businesses, Dr. Justin VanBibber, told her to reuse disposable Isolite mouthpieces.
“He asked that I put them in the cold sterile and reuse them on patients and I refused,” Walker said.
Packaging for the mouthpieces is labeled “Disposable. Do not re-use. Re-use can result in the transmission of infections, pathogens.”
In a statement to KIRO-7, VanBibber called the allegations “highly misleading, riddled with inaccuracies and are being raised by a misinformed and disgruntled former employee.”
He said the dental practice “is committed to providing the highest quality care and patient safety is our top priority. We always use sterilized equipment for all examinations and procedures.”
Isolite mouthpieces — the maker says it sells a box of 10 for $25 — are used to keep the airway clear during a dental procedure.
“It suctions out the blood, the saliva, pus, tooth decay, you name it.” Walker said.
Reusing the devices is hazardous, she said, because “there’s numerous, numerous diseases and long-term illnesses that can be contracted through blood.”
According to Walker, a dental assistant from her office was asked to work at another of the chain’s locations in Tacoma and found used Isolite mouthpieces soaking in a cold sterilization solution while others were drying.
When Walker found out, she said, she set up a meeting with the company’s compliance officer.
“I explained that I felt this was happening in multiple offices, not just the Sixth Avenue office,” Walker said. “She was stunned. This is when she said she would take care of it immediately.”
Walker said she waited for a response from VanBibber and the Lone Peak Management Group, which manages the practices. She said she got an email sent to office managers in the chain, telling them how to deceive the dentists.
Walker quit and filed a complaint with the Dental Quality Assurance Commission against VanBibber and Lone Peak. It alleges they instructed Smiles 4 Kids and other pediatric dental practices in the chain to reuse the disposable Isolite mouthpieces, putting pediatric patients at risk.
According to the complaint, more than a dozen clinics in the state are tied to VanBibber and Lone Peak. Walker’s dental office saw 50 to 90 patients a day.
The Washington State Dental Association is aware of the complaint.
“The concerns brought forward by the whistleblower are deeply troubling and represent a dangerous corporate intrusion in the doctor-patient relationship,” said Dr. Chris Delecki, president of the association.