'Dentist Karen' Threatens to Sue Dental Office for Being Asked to Wear Face Mask, Take Temperature

Tara C. Mahadevan
·2 min read

Every week, there seems to be another Karen going berserk on matters often pertaining to race or the wearing of masks. On Thursday, footage emerged of a woman in a dentist’s office wielding threats after being asked to wear a face-covering in the waiting room.

In the viral TikTok video, the white woman threatens to sue a dental office after an employee requests that she wears a mask and get her temperature checked. Earning the name “Dentist Karen,” by people online, the woman tells the office staff, “You’re going to work on my teeth, not my nose. I don’t wear masks getting my teeth cleaned.”

When the worker explains that patients in the waiting room are required to wear a mask to help stop the transmission of COVID-19, the woman asks if she can use her hand to cover her mouth, to which the worker says no. Then, when staff ask if they can take the woman’s temperature, she threatens to sue for harassment.

“You can’t take my temperature that’s against the law!” the woman shouted back. “I have the right to sue you for harassing me!” She added that she spoke with her attorney before arriving at the office, who told her that it isn’t legal for a dentist to take her temperature because they’re not MDs.

While it’s unclear when or where this incident took place, it should be noted that some local and state governments have issued mask requirements. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms recently mandated a face-covering guidance in the city, and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order that permits businesses to refuse service if customers aren’t wearing a mask. Over the holiday weekend, footage of 'Costco Karen' went viral after the women threw a temper tantrum for being asked to wear a mask.

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