A shocking video shows a trio of cold-hearted employees at a Tennessee dentist’s office reading aloud a cancer patient’s private diary – and mocking her concerns about her treatment options.
The heartbreaking footage was apparently captured by another employee of Premier Dental Group of Knoxville, who was seen giggling callously during the disrespectful act, which took place in the middle of the practice’s office.
“Found a patient’s diary and now it’s time for a story lol,” the employee wrote in the video caption.
A woman in a black surgical gown is seen leaning against a desk as she leafs through and reads passages describing the radiation treatments the cancer patient will undergo.
The camera then pans to another bully, sitting cross-legged on the office floor, leaning forward urgently as she hears the patient’s concern that there are “no other treatment options.”
A male employee was also in the room, but as the video shows, he apparently preferred scrolling on his phone rather than intervening.
The horrifying footage spread like wildfire on social media, sparking outrage among people who condemned the action as a serious violation of privacy.
Knoxville-based Premier Dental Group apologized Monday, acknowledging that “some of our employees created and shared an inappropriate video that treated an individual’s medical condition in a disrespectful and unprofessional manner.”
“We deeply regret this incident and the pain it has caused,” the practice wrote in a now-deleted statement on Facebook.
A PDG spokesperson confirmed to the Post that the female employees involved in the incident were fired “effective immediately.” After an investigation, the male employee was found not to be involved and kept his job.
“We are committed to maintaining a respectful and professional environment for all and will continue to take the necessary steps to maintain these standards,” the statement said.
This disturbing episode is not Knoxville’s first dramatic encounter with the public.
According to KVUE, the practice reached a settlement last year after prosecutors accused it of defrauding TennCare and potentially putting patients at risk.
The lawsuit alleged that the provider used unqualified dental hygienists, over-coded treatments that were not actually needed or performed, and treated patients like “cattle” to maximize profits.
Knoxville-based Premier Dental Group agreed to pay about $1 million to settle the lawsuit.
