It started with a joke, or so Dr. Harleen Grewal insists. But what followed was a firestorm that’s sent shockwaves through Santa Clarita, ignited fierce debate about politics in healthcare, and left a local dentist’s reputation hanging in the balance. On September 26, 2025, Dr. Grewal, owner of Skyline Smiles and MindBody Infusion, broke her silence after a viral video resurfaced showing her making politically charged jokes about the treatment she gives to patients based on their political leanings. As the backlash mounted, Grewal called the uproar a "smear campaign" and stood firm, saying her remarks were never meant to be taken seriously.
The controversy began when a clip from a 2021 speech at the Republican Liberty Gala reappeared on TikTok and quickly spread across social media. In the video, Grewal—who’s become known locally as the "MAGA Dentist"—joked about wearing a hat that reads "Make Your Smile Great Again" while working on patients. She quipped, "When they look horrified or complain, I quietly cut back on the laughing gas and say, 'You got this, it’s not as bad as you think it is.'" According to the Los Angeles Times, she also poked fun at patients reacting to Trump decor in her office, saying, "I get patients that come into my office, and when they see the pictures, you’d think their butt was on fire. They jump off and take off as if Trump was coming in the room."
As the video ricocheted across the internet, the reactions were swift and, in many cases, unforgiving. Some viewers reported Grewal to the California Dental Board, while others took to online review sites to voice their outrage. One reviewer, cited by Fox News, wrote, "This doctor bragged on video that she treats patients differently based on their political views. This is not just unprofessional, it is unethical and scary." Several patients emailed local news stations, saying they were switching dentists as a direct result of the video.
Grewal, for her part, hasn’t denied making the comments. In an interview with ABC7, she admitted, "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 lightheartedly?" She emphasized that the remarks were made at a roast-style event and were never intended to be taken literally. "People should take light of the situation, relax, chill, it’s not that big of a deal to just make a joke every now and then," she added.
But the controversy has proven stubbornly persistent. According to KTLA, Grewal has leaned into her political identity, marketing her practice with MAGA branding—complete with Trump-themed merchandise and red hats emblazoned with "Drill Baby Drill." She’s also been photographed alongside high-profile figures from the Trump orbit, such as Sarah Huckabee Sanders. In a follow-up opinion piece for the Santa Clarita Valley Signal, Grewal doubled down, writing, "When you stand up, speak out and make a difference, there are people who will try to tear you down. But here’s the truth: It only works if you let it. And I refuse to let it."
While Grewal has made it clear she views the uproar as politically motivated, not everyone in Santa Clarita is convinced. Local resident Valerie Bradford told ABC7, "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." The sentiment was echoed by others in the community, many of whom argued that the intersection of politics and healthcare is a slippery slope—one that could erode trust between patients and providers.
The legal ramifications are also up for debate. Civil rights attorney James DeSimone told FOX 11, "It is against the law to discriminate someone based on their political beliefs. When you have a dentist who says that she's deliberately treating you differently because of your political beliefs, there doesn't seem to be anything too funny about that." DeSimone’s comments highlight a core concern: even if Grewal’s statements were intended as jokes, the perception of bias in the healthcare setting can have serious consequences.
For her part, Grewal maintains that no harm was done. She told ABC7, "I think America is a free country, it’s free speech. No-one is directly getting harmed from it. I'm making a joke. We all make jokes. I'm sure the Democrats get in a room and make jokes about Republicans too." She also pointed out that she had already been investigated by the California Dental Board months prior to the renewed controversy and was cleared of any wrongdoing. "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.' ... 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," Grewal explained.
Despite her reassurances, the story has continued to fuel debate both online and in Santa Clarita. The core question—should politics have any place in healthcare?—remains unresolved. Some argue that Grewal’s comments, even as jokes, cross a line and threaten the sanctity of the patient-provider relationship. Others see the backlash as an overreaction, a symptom of a culture too quick to "cancel" those with whom it disagrees.
In the midst of the uproar, Grewal has tried to reassure her patients, saying she treats them "like family." But for some, the damage may already be done. The viral video, now etched into the digital landscape, has become a flashpoint in the broader debate about professionalism, free speech, and the boundaries of humor in sensitive settings like healthcare.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the intersection of politics and medicine is fraught with pitfalls. For Dr. Harleen Grewal, what began as a joke has become a public lesson in the power—and the peril—of words in the age of viral outrage.
