A shocking video shows a trio of cold-hearted dental office workers in Tennessee reading aloud from a cancer patient’s diary – and mocking her concerns about her treatment options.
The heartbreaking footage was apparently captured by another staff member at Knoxville’s Premier Dental Group, who laughed unabashedly throughout the disrespectful act, which took place in the middle of the practice’s office.
“I found a patient’s diary and now it’s story time lol,” the employee wrote in the video’s caption.
A woman in black scrubs can be seen leaning against a desk as she flips through and reads aloud passages describing the radiation treatments the cancer patient is facing.
The camera then cuts to another bully sitting cross-legged on the office floor and leaning in intently as she listens to the patient’s concern that there are “no other treatment options.”
A male employee was also in the room, but he apparently chose to scroll through the news on his phone rather than intervene, the video shows.
The terrifying images spread like wildfire on social media, sparking outrage among Internet users who condemned the action as a major violation of privacy.
Premier Dental Group of Knoxville apologized Monday, acknowledging that “an inappropriate video was created and shared by some of our employees that addressed an individual’s medical condition in a disrespectful and unprofessional manner.”
“We deeply regret this incident and the harm it caused,” the firm wrote in a since-deleted statement on Facebook.
A CEO spokesperson confirmed to the Post that the employees involved in the incident were terminated “effective immediately.” After an investigation, it was determined that the employee had no involvement in the incident and had kept his job.
“We are committed to maintaining a respectful and professional environment for all, and we will continue to take the necessary steps to uphold these standards,” the firm said.
This disturbing episode is not the first time the Knoxville CEO has faced drama.
The firm settled a lawsuit last year after prosecutors accused it of defrauding TennCare and possibly putting patients at risk, according to KVUE.
The lawsuit alleged that the provider used unqualified dental hygienists, overcoded procedures that were not actually needed or performed, and treated patients like “cattle” in an attempt to maximize profits.
Premier Dental Group of Knoxville has agreed to pay about $1 million to settle the lawsuit.
