Dr. Robert Nara: Freedom from Dental Disease

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PLOWBOY: It does seem as if you're being singled out for "special treatment". Do you have any theories that could explain this apparent vendetta?

NARA: In my opinion the whole thing boils down to one simple fact: The dental establishment is scared to death that the public is going to realize that the entire profession has been making a living by repairing the results of a disease they could have been curing all along! I just happen to be, at the present time, the person who is in the best position to expose organized dentistry.

Nothing was resolved in my prior encounters with the county and state dental associations, because they dropped their charges and swept mine under the table. This time, however, I think there's going to be a winner and a loser, and my opponents are pulling out all the stops to keep me under wraps. They're soliciting a lot of support, too—by using loaded terms like "unethical conduct"—among those indoctrinated dentists who don't want anyone upsetting their very lucrative apple carts.

PLOWBOY: Why do you refer to "unethical conduct" as a loaded term?

NARA: I think many people would feel that the phrase has an almost "dirty" ring to it ... it sounds like it has something to do with morality. This is not really the case, however, because—in medical jargon—the functional meaning of "ethics" is usually "not squealing on another doctor". If the other guy makes a mistake, you are expected—because of your professional ethics— not to expose him. You can imagine, then, why the dental establishment has come so unglued about my case . . . because I haven't discriminated, I haven't singled out any individuals, I'm exposing the whole profession's lack of concern about disease prevention! And, of course, if there weren't anything there to expose, it's unlikely that I would have drawn such a violent reaction.

Strangely enough, however, the whole battle could have been avoided. I wouldn't have had anything to expose if the dental establishment had allowed me to continue to practice and develop my methods. It would have been easy—and mutually beneficial—for all of us to work together and share each other's ideas for the good of the patients and of the profession. But, when they took my license away and threw me out of their associations, they left me no recourse but to fight, and that's what I'm doing.

The dental establishment is scared to death that the public is going to realize the entire profession has been making a living by repairing the results of a disease they could have been curing all along!

PLOWBOY: And how are you striking back at the associations that have attacked you?

NARA: I've filed a suit against the American Dental Association, the Michigan State Dental Association, and the Copper County District Dental Society for eight million dollars in dam ages. I didn't want to sue, and I still don't, but I have no other way to defend myself at this point.

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