“We make jokes as well”: Santa Ckarita dentist Harleen Grewal defends viral video about hurting democrat patients

Santa Clarita dentist Dr. Harleen Grewal has come under fire for a resurfaced video in which she makes a joke about not giving patients anaesthesia if they didn't support President Donald Trump.

The video spread quickly online and was shared, leaving many patients and locals in the area criticizing Dr. Grewal and even questioning her professionalism.

Grewal said while talking to reporters that the comments were jokes made during a Republican roast and did not represent how she practices dentistry.

"They asked me if I had said that, and I said, 'Yes, I said it in one of my roasting speeches at a women's Republican group.' Just like the Democrats, they make jokes, too. We make jokes as well. Why can't we just take a joke light-heartedly? she remarked.

A Santa Clarita dentist is defending herself after a viral video resurfaced showing her joking that she gives worse care to patients who aren’t Trump supporters.

Dr. Harleen Grewal, who has built her practice around her open support for former President Donald Trump, is seen in… pic.twitter.com/j92aptZHsL

— Austin Dave (@AustinDave_) September 26, 2025

She also said that the California Dental Board investigated it previously and found no wrongdoing. Grewal described the renewed attention to the video as a political "smear campaign" to try to cancel her.

"But that was taken to cancel me, and the dental board did an investigation. They cleared it out and said there was nothing they could find that proved any of that." she added.

A look into Dr. Harleen Grewal's viral comments and backlash

Grewal's office originally uploaded the video almost two years ago, and she explains that it was made simply for fun and to show her personality.

In the video, Grewal can be heard stating that she wears a "make your smile great again" cap and jokingly talks about the use of laughing gas for the scary-looking patients or the ones who complain, which added a political dimension to her role as a dentist.

She also talked about her patient's reaction to her Wall of Fame, which includes several republican allies and President Donald Trump.

"I have patients who come into my office, and when they see the pictures, it’s like their butt’s on fire. They jump up and bolt as if Trump himself were entering the room," she said.

Although the video was deleted afterwards, it has once again surfaced on TikTok and other platforms this month and once again sparked debates. Critics state the comments cross a line, which may affect how she treats her patients based on their political views.

Dr. Harleen Grewal of @SkylineSmiles laughs about cutting back on patients' nitrous oxide while performing dentist duties...because they're Democrats https://t.co/E3QKtlwWUM pic.twitter.com/0VivoMHOEB

— Alien Aunt Farm (@AuntieAlien) September 25, 2025

Residents of Santa Clarita also shared their disappointment. Santa Clarita resident Valerie Bradford said to reporters:

"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,"

Civil rights lawyer James DeSimone expressed concerns that jokes like that could create a serious legal and ethical problem.

"It is against the law to discriminate against someone based on their political beliefs. When you have a dentist who says she's deliberately treating you differently because of your political beliefs, there doesn't seem to be anything funny about that," he sad in a statement.

Rebecca Hindman, who runs the page Rise Up SCV, reiterated to KHTS that regardless of what was considered a joke, it reflects a poor representation of a person in a professional business setting.

Dr. Harleen Grewal, who is a Republican party delegate for Trump and embraces the term "MAGA dentist" at her office, Skyline Smiles, stands by her freedom of speech and humor. Grewal assures that she treats her patients fairly and her words should be interpreted by people as humor and not as a full-fledged fact.