The VA needs a complete overhaul. Abuse and neglect are regular occurrences at VA hospitals and doctor's offices across America, and something's got to change, fast. From "death panel" waiting lists, to over-prescribing opiates, to dirty cleaning and surgical tools, it's just one haphazard incidence after another. It's as if the US government only cares about our military when they're fighting our wars, and then afterwards, treats them all like trash. It's incomprehensible and should not be tolerated. This dentist needs to be made an example of, but instead he's getting a cushy job, no fine, no loss of license, no jail time–nothing negative.
So how do you call nearly 600 people and inform them that their dentist may have given them AIDS or hepatitis? If you're the VA, you simply offer them all "free screenings" and "free medical treatment" for those who test positive for an infection. Well, yipee! Why not fire the dentist responsible, fine him, overhaul the whole system, and rewrite the sanitation rules with some daily oversights to make sure they're enforced?
It seems that the past 16 years have completely sold our military short from one end of the spectrum to the other. Quality care is very hard to find for our veterans of war, from careless doctors and dentists to experimental drugs and expensive chronic-care systems that only address symptoms and never the root of the problems, American medical care is one big cesspool of malpractice and negligence.
Plus, much of the work dentists do for patients could be completely avoided anyway if our veterans simply knew about avoiding fluoride at all costs, brushing their teeth with baking soda, oil pulling with coconut oil, and using iodine tincture for preventing tooth decay and addressing oral infections. Realize that tooth decay occurs mostly from inside the body, not just from the outside. It's important to neutralize excess acid in the bloodstream by supplementing with quality calcium.
Also, swishing daily/nightly for 5 to 10 minutes with sea salt and coconut oil helps remove germs and bacteria from underneath the gum line. Remember not to swallow the oil when done–simply spit and rinse. Do this and you can greatly slow down and even reverse tooth decay. No more visits to the rogue, careless, dangerous VA dentist!
You can make your own natural toothpaste too–simply combine some coconut oil, baking soda, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Bam! Healthy, cheap toothpaste without artificial sweeteners or toxic fluoride.
Sources: