Washington Dental School Under Assault for
                "Mercury Poisoning"...

 Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen

 Thursday, February 23rd, 2006

 Pierce College of Dentistry hired Dental Hygienist Laurie Pruett, over ten years ago, to assist the school in its teaching of the practice of Dentistry.  What they "forgot" to tell her, according to court records, is that she would be handling mercury amalgam fillings, and those mercury fillings were toxic, giving of constant noxious gases, which would, eventually, result in consequential health problems.

 Ten years later, of course, Laurie Pruett began to show the symptoms of mercury poisoning.  It wasn't long before those symptoms affected her work, and her daily routine.  When Pruett sought medical attention she was amazed to find out what competent Medical Doctors knew all along - that working in a "mercury" environment was hazardous to your health - and that adequate safeguards needed to be in place - facts that Pierce College of Dentistry pooh-poohed, again and again, according to court records.

 Pruett, loyal to her employer, went to her superiors, and explained the situation.  Pierce College responded by firing her.

 So much for "loyal to your employer..."

 And the war was on.

 Pruett found the powerful, and politically savvy, US "anti-amalgam" movement.

 First Pruett filed a "wrongful termination" lawsuit - and proceeded to stomp all over Pierce College on the Courthouse floor - so to speak.  She won her case.

 But now, Pruett, who is no longer naive about "mercury," and the dental industry's cover-up of the dangers of mercury amalgam, is suing Pierce College once again - this time over her health issues - and Pierce has pulled out all the stops, bringing in another "quackbuster" goofball to testify that mercury in your mouth is not hazardous, blah, blah, blah...

 But Pruett got good advice and brought in well-known California litigator, and "quackbuster" stomper Carlos F. Negrete.  Negrete seems to delight in battering the "quackbuster" conspiracy, and has a superb track record.

When Negrete showed up in court the State's attorney, and Pierce's attorney, nearly did back-flips trying to stop Negrete from even entering the case.  Observers were somewhat amused at the obvious fear in the opposition's eyes.

 The case won't go forward until March, but Negrete has already begun, by demanding, and getting the Judge to agree, that Pierce needed to provide ALL of the evidence they previously would not release. 

 This is the "mercury amalgam" case to watch.