Supervisor mistakes employee's medically necessary dental crowns for 'grillz,' writes them up for violating dress code: 'I'm not sure how to navigate this level of stupidity'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Mar 30, 2025 10:00 PM EDT

Sometimes things are so funny that you can't be mad at them. For example, if you're having a loud argument with someone and you accidentally pass gas, you have to take a pause to laugh at yourself. It's just the rules. Life has an interesting sense of humor and will test you with its sense of irony all the time. Like the psychic who tells you that "prosperity is coming for you" and then you find out your debt collector's name is Prosperity. Happens all the time. 

If you can't laugh about all the weird little happenstances of life, then you're doomed. There are so many reasons to be angry in this world, and just as many reasons to smile. You just have to choose to focus on the ones that make you smile. But what if one of these goofs ends up threatening your job? Then you might have the right to be a little angry. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10486920448
    via Unsplash+ (Faruk Tokluoğlu)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • That's what happened in this story, when a manager mistook someone's gold dental crowns for the mouth accessory that hasn't been popular since the 2000s, grillz. But instead of having a laugh about this goofy misunderstanding, they used it to threaten their employment. Read on for the story.

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    Supervisor doesn't know the difference between medically necessary dental crowns and grillz- trying to dress code me

    I have two teeth-the canine and the one behind it- with a gold crown. They had broken 6-8 times and needed a crown. I have a quartz crown on a different tooth that looks natural but is so hard it broke the tooth under it, so I went with gold because it is softer.
    via u/Sriracha11235
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    My supervisor keeps citing the dress code "no grillz or teeth gems" and doesn't seem to understand that dentists sometimes still us gold. I offered to send my medical dental records to HR but she already has written me up for refusal to adhere to dress code.
    via u/Sriracha11235
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    I'm not sure how to navigate this level of stupidity
    via u/Sriracha11235
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    Workers gave advice on how to move forward from this.

    DED_HAMPSTER · 21h ago Go ahead and send HR your medical records and an account of what your supervisor is doing. Attach any emails and other written documentation your supervisor has given you on this matter. Dont let your super talk you out of it.
    via u/DED_HAMPSTER
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    stopsallover • 2h ago And just keep every possible record of what's happening. You can't stop a company from taking illegal action but you can be prepared to file complaints after the fact.
    via u/stopsallover
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    Brickthedummydog • 21h ago Do as others said, email your medical records to HR with a copy of the supervisor harassing you. The one thing I'll add, to make them their pants, don't just use the word "crown". Use the words "permanently attached medically necessary dental equipment". HR will respond pretty quickly to that language. That's a lawsuit waiting to happen
    via u/Brickthedummydog
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    Cheezburger Image 10486920960
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    SillyStallion • 21h ago Send them your dental records anyway with a note stating that you consider the matter closed now.
    via u/SillyStallion
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    IntermediateFolder • 21h ago This is one of the rare cases in which I'd get HR involved.
    via u/IntermediateFolder
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    Snurgisdr • 21h ago Ask your HR to confirm that crowns are not against dress code. When they do, ask them to please reiterate that to your boss and confirm that they have struck any complaints against you.
    via u/Snurgisdr
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    JosKarith 21h ago • "I'm sorry supervisor are you asking me to remove something that's medically necessary for me? I feel the rest of this conversation should be had in front of HR. I'll contact them now."
    via u/JosKarith
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    Plutos_A_Planet2... 18h ago You navigate yourself straight to HR and tell them about it. Skip your supervisor and say you want to make an official complaint for discrimination as you are being written up for having something literally required by your health. If you
    via u/Plutos_A_Planet2024
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    have the write up in hand that's doubly powerful as HR can't just say it doesn't exist. Then also say you want to make a harassment complaint against your supervisor for continuing this treatment even after you told them what was in your mouth.
    via u/Plutos_A_Planet2024
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    That's the only way to handle this. Ignore your supervisor 100% and ask for everything in writing if they want to harp on it. Then take it to HR for another complaint.
    via u/Plutos_A_Planet2024
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    . SparklesIB 21h ago I'd ask HR in this case. As many are, I'm a bit leery of relying on them to be on your side in a dispute between you and your manager, but in this case you have a medical condition. So I'd ask them how to best be compliant, considering your current medical needs.
    via u/SparklesIB
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    . britchop 20h ago "I'm starting to feel harassed and discriminated against for my medically necessary dental work"
    via u/britchop
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    Christen0526 · 20h ago . I would be calling the local ambulance chaser attorney. What the fuckity fuck fuck That's an insult. As a person who has cracked teeth, aside from our own embarrassment, this supervisor needs a gut punch.
    via u/Christen0526
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    New_Scientist_1688 · 18h ago . Same here. I also have a porcelain crown on a molar that would "show" in pictures and it does not. Failure to address dental issues can in fact lead to heart problems and death. People are idiots. "It's just a tooth."
    via u/New_Scientist_1688
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    Oh and you don't just "get" dentures. Many people, myself included, would need major bone surgery in the mouth to even accommodate dentures. Which is why I'm doing all I can to keep the teeth I HAVE.
    via u/New_Scientist_1688
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    frankydie69 • 20h ago Guarantee HR has no idea about this and your manager is just talking out their a . Go and speak with HR
    via u/frankydie69
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    NasdaQQ • 15h ago Do as everyone is advising or... put it in writing that you do not have cosmetic gold caps but in fact, medically necessary implants that happen to be gold.
    via u/NasdaQQ
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    If she continues just continue just the same. Wait until they fire you and hand all of the paperwork to your attorney. Sometimes all you can do is calmly advise people of things and let them dig their own graves if they so choose.
    via u/NasdaQQ
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    Ok_Sheepherder_8... . 8h ago send hr proof of your dental work and any notes from your boss. don't let them dismiss it -paperwork helps your case. also, maybe ask your dentist for a note explaining why gold was the best option.
    via u/Ok_Sheepherder_8119
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    OMG- 45 18h ago There is no way to top this level of stupidity! Sorry. Does she not understand what grilz are even??? Obviously not. Sorry for your adventure into idiocracy!!
    via u/OMG-WTF_45
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    sasanessa · 17h ago Why are they looking in your mouth? Surely a dress code doesn't apply to the inside of someones mouth. That's harassment and discrimination imo
    via u/sasanessa
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    sdouble 20h ago . Just remind them that's it's 2025 and people that have jobs don't get "grillz"
    via u/sdouble

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boss antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace job dentist bosses work coworkers teeth working reddit story toxic-boss workplace grillz reddit thread bad bosses Reddit toxic-work-environment
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