Okla. dental board investigates school 'Tooth Fairy'

The Oklahoma Board of Dentistry is investigating a Tulsa school's "Tooth Fairy" for helping children pull loose teeth.

A complaint was submitted to the dental board claiming that Jeanne Mandeville, health room director at the School of St. Mary, is practicing dentistry illegally because she has helped fearful students over the years as their teeth verged on falling out, according to a Tulsa World story.

Mandeville might be keeping children at the primary school from going to a licensed dentist who would check for other dental problems, and her actions could be a felony, according to the story.

Parents are allowed to help with their children's tooth pulling, board officials said, but the formal manner of having a school health room director pull teeth could keep children from needed visits with a dentist.

Perhaps children avoid going to the dentist because they know Mandeville will pull their teeth and it's cheaper, dental officials told the newspaper.

The complaint said Mandeville was not qualified to even put gauze into a child's mouth. The board is concerned about health issues, such as the disposal of biological material, including bloody gauze and gloves, according to the story.

However, comments on social media praised Mandeville, describing her as a "sweet" lady, and school officials said parents have called to say their children want the "Tooth Fairy" to pull their loose teeth. Parents now will be notified that the Tooth Fairy has been decommissioned.