A Nashville woman says she walked away from a temporary dental shift after discovering what she claims were serious sanitation issues, including instruments sitting in a Home Depot bucket filled with dish soap.
In the video posted to TikTok, Ann, who goes by the username @anntaylor.lawrence, said she arrived expecting a normal temporary assignment at a dental office where she had never worked before. Instead, she claims she quickly noticed problems with the office’s sanitation practices, including disinfectant wipes, cleaning sprays, and other infection-control products that appeared to have expired in 2019.
She said the situation became more concerning when she went to retrieve dental instruments. According to her account, the equipment was dirty and sitting inside a Home Depot bucket filled with Dawn dish soap and water. After asking about the office’s autoclave, the machine used to sterilize reusable dental instruments, she claims staff told her it was not working. She also alleges employees suggested wiping the instruments with disinfectant before placing them into sterilization bags.
Ann claims expired supplies and dirty equipment led her to leave
She said she found additional issues that ultimately made her decide she could not continue working. She alleged there was dried blood and buildup on equipment, mold inside water hoses used during procedures and mold growing inside a container of topical medication.
Ann recalled taking her belongings to the front desk and explaining why she was leaving. According to her account, an employee asked, “Are you gonna report us?” She said she responded yes because she did not want to take part in what she believed were unsafe practices.
@anntaylor.lawrence my friends and family know i am very protective over those that i care about. My patients health and safety is one thing i will never compromise on. I will forever protect those around me and i will always speak up for those who cannot or don’t know how. I will not be sharing this offices information at this time while i talk with the dental board and the health care facilities commission but i promise you i am going to do everything in my power to make sure no patient is treated in an unsafe environment or taken advantage of any more. #medical #dentistry #dentalhygienist #storytime #fyp
♬ original sound – anntaylor.lawrence
Ann became emotional while explaining why the situation bothered her beyond her own work. She said the office appeared to serve an underserved community where some patients may have spent significant time saving for dental care.
The story also taps into ongoing concerns about trust between patients and healthcare workers. Similar concerns surfaced after healthcare employees faced backlash over social media posts that many viewers said showed a lack of respect toward patients and professional standards.
“It pisses me off because, like, the patients that, like, this clinic was seeing were patients that were in it, like, a very underserved community. And not a lot of them had access to healthcare. And they had probably saved for a long time to be able to get the care that they needed. And then they’re getting sent to an office like this that just not give a fuck about them at all.”
Ann said staff later warned she would not be paid if she left before completing the shift. She said losing the day’s wages was not enough to convince her to stay.
“I don’t give a f—k about that. Like, I don’t. Do I need money? Yes, but I’m never gonna fucking hurt somebody or do anything that’s gonna hurt somebody intentionally.”
The dental office is not identified in the video, and Ann does not show footage or documentation from inside the clinic that independently verifies the conditions she describes. Instead, the video presents her firsthand account of why she says she ended the assignment before treating any patients.
Many viewers backed her decision, with commenters focusing on whether healthcare workers should walk away when they believe patient safety could be compromised.
The most-liked comment read, “You took an oath you’re taking it. Seriously. Thank you for having morals.” Another viewer focused on the alleged exchange at the front desk, writing, ‘”Are you going to report us?” She knew. They all know.’
Others encouraged her to contact regulators if the allegations were accurate. One commenter wrote, “Call the state board, call the dental board, call the medical board, EVERYONE. THE NEWS. You ARE doing the RIGHT THING.” Another added, “they COULD KILL PEOPLE.”
The reaction also reflects growing interest in dental safety, with patients sharing experiences about their treatment and care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that dental offices properly sterilize reusable instruments, maintain sterilization equipment, and follow manufacturer instructions for infection-control products.
By the end of the video, Ann said she had no regrets about leaving, even if it meant losing a day’s pay. While her claims have not been independently verified, the video has sparked discussion about the role healthcare workers play when they believe patient care standards are not being met.
