A California dental office has become the center of a political firestorm. Dr. Harleen Grewal, a Santa Clarita dentist, is facing backlash after a video of her joking about giving different levels of care based on patients’ political beliefs resurfaced on TikTok. And instead of backing down, Grewal is standing firmly behind her MAGA comments, saying the controversy is more about cancel culture than cavities.
The viral clip shows Grewal joking about how she treats Trump supporters differently from non-supporters, per ABC 7. In the video, she quipped: “So I have a secret hat I wear sometimes, it says ‘make your smile great again.’ So I wear that when I work on my patients, so when they look horrified or complain, I quietly cut back on the laughing gas.”
She says it was intended as a joke. The clip was originally posted by her own California dental office to show off her humor and personality. It was deleted not long after, but like most things on the internet, nothing ever really goes away. The video recently resurfaced and sparked a wave of criticism.
California MAGA Dentist Defends Her Viral Laughing Gas Joke
When cameras caught up with her this week, Grewal let reporters inside her practice to address the controversy head-on. She explained that the line came from a roast speech she delivered at a Republican women’s event, and it wasn’t meant to be taken seriously.
“Just like the Democrats, they make jokes, too. We make jokes as well. Why can’t we just take a joke light-heartedly?” she said. Grewal also revealed that the California Dental Board had already investigated the situation months ago and cleared her of any wrongdoing.
Still, not everyone in Santa Clarita is laughing. Some residents told local news they were disturbed by the clip. One woman admitted, “I hate seeing politics come into a business like this. I don’t think it has a place there, and it really bothers me that that video was made, that that was said.” Meanwhile, other patients have reportedly emailed news outlets saying they plan to find a new dentist after seeing the resurfaced video.
Is There A Place For Politics In Business?
Of course, none of this comes as a surprise in today’s climate. Politics seems to touch everything, from what coffee you drink to what brand of sneakers you buy. California, in particular, has become a hotspot for political clashes, so it’s not shocking that a dentist’s joke has now become a flashpoint for debates about free speech, comedy, and professionalism.
Grewal, for her part, is chalking it all up to a “smear campaign.” She insists that her practice is built on treating patients like family, regardless of their politics, and says she’s frustrated by what she sees as an attempt to “cancel” her. Whether you think her joke crossed a line or not, it’s clear that in California, even something as simple as a trip to the dentist can turn into a headline-making controversy.
Nina Franklin 
Sofia Bassett 
