In January, a Baltimore, Maryland school dental program made headlines after allegedly extracting a nine-year-old student’s teeth without parental consent, thrusting the topic of tooth extraction into the spotlight. School dental programs have become increasingly more popular in Baltimore schools following the 2007 death of a 12-year-old student from an infected tooth as districts attempt to highlight the importance of oral health. Yet this latest story has many parents worried and questioning the necessity of extractions. A tooth extraction procedure, if necessary, should be done in a dentist’s office, in a sterile environment, utilizing appropriate pain medication. Unfortunately, none of these steps were followed for this young patient. Tooth extractions are serious business and come with a range of risks. It’s not a procedure that should be taken lightly. In fact, Dr. Buck is in stark opposition to the procedure all together and with good reason.