You’ve probably seen the name. Maybe it was on a local award list, or perhaps it popped up in one of those firestorm TikTok threads that refuses to die. Dr. Harleen Grewal and her practice, Skyline Smiles, have become a bit of a lightning rod in the Santa Clarita Valley. Some people swear by her pediatric expertise; others can’t get past the political headlines that turned her into a viral sensation.
But if you strip away the social media noise, who actually is the person behind the "MAGA Dentist" label? Honestly, it’s a lot more complicated than a thirty-second clip.
The Woman Behind the Dental Chair
Harleen Grewal wasn't born into the California sun. She was born in England in 1983. At just ten years old, her life took a massive turn when her parents moved the family to India. They wanted her to grow up with a specific set of traditional values. She ended up at the Sacred Heart School in the Himalayas—a Catholic boarding school run by nuns. Talk about a culture shock.
That discipline stuck.
She eventually chased the "American Dream" she’d seen in movies. Dentistry became the goal because it blended biology with art. If you’ve ever watched a dentist contour a tooth to match its neighbor perfectly, you know it’s basically tiny, high-stakes sculpting. She did her initial dental training in India between 2002 and 2008 but knew she needed American credentials to practice the way she wanted.
She landed at the USC School of Dentistry. It’s one of the top programs in the world, and she still talks about it like it’s the gold standard. After USC, she didn't just stop at general dentistry. She went for the tough stuff: a two-year pediatric residency at Lutheran Medical Center in Massachusetts. She was working in emergency rooms, dealing with actual trauma—kids with broken jaws or knocked-out teeth. That’s not just cleaning plaque; that’s high-pressure medicine.
The Skyline Smiles Philosophy (And the Med Spa)
In 2017, she moved to Santa Clarita to be near family. She was pregnant, her husband Yuvraj Grewal (a neurologist) was starting his own practice, and things were moving fast.
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Skyline Smiles eventually opened its doors in May 2021, right in the thick of the pandemic chaos. She didn't just open a dentist's office, though. She launched it alongside Mind Body Infusion, a med spa. The idea was sort of a "whole body" approach. You get your kids' teeth checked at Skyline, then maybe go next door for IV therapy or aesthetic work.
It’s a business model that definitely screams Southern California.
The Controversy That Wouldn't Quit
We have to talk about the video. In late 2025, a clip from a 2021 Republican Liberty Gala went viral. In it, Dr. Grewal joked about her "secret hat" that said "Make Your Smile Great Again." The kicker? She joked that if patients complained or looked horrified by it, she’d "quietly cut back on the laughing gas."
The internet, predictably, exploded.
Critics called it a violation of the Hippocratic Oath. People reported her to the California Dental Board. There was a massive wave of Yelp "review bombing" that forced the platform to temporarily lock her page.
Dr. Grewal didn't retreat. In an interview with the Santa Clarita Valley Signal, she called the whole thing a "smear campaign." She maintained it was a joke—a roast speech at a political event—and that she has never, and would never, actually alter medical care based on a patient’s politics. She even noted that the California Dental Board investigated the claims and cleared her.
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Whether you find the joke funny or disqualifying usually depends on where you sit on the political aisle. It's a classic 2026 problem: can a professional's private (or semi-private) political persona be separated from their clinical work?
Community Impact and Awards
Despite the digital firestorm, Dr. Grewal has deep roots in Santa Clarita. In July 2025, the William S. Hart Union High School District Board gave her the “One Hart” award. This isn't a "participation trophy." It’s given to people who actually show up for the community.
- She launched SCV Rapid Tests during the height of COVID.
- She supports Soroptimist International and the Wish Foundation.
- She’s a regular at the Santa Clarita Pregnancy Center.
Her fans see a hard-working immigrant who built a business from scratch and gives back. Her detractors see someone whose political rhetoric makes them feel unsafe in a medical setting. It’s a total dichotomy.
Why It Matters for Your Kids
If you’re a parent looking at Skyline Smiles: Harleen Grewal, you’re probably wondering if the care is actually good. Politics aside, the clinical reputation is solid. The office uses state-of-the-art tech like digital X-rays and CEREC single-visit crowns.
The staff is often described as "gentle" and "responsive." For kids with dental anxiety, that matters more than what’s on the news.
However, the office vibe is unapologetically vocal about its values. If you’re looking for a neutral, sterile, "no-politics-here" environment, this might not be your spot. If you want a doctor who is highly trained in pediatric trauma and isn't afraid to speak her mind, then you’ve found her.
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Real Talk: What to Consider Before Booking
Choosing a dentist is personal. It's about trust. If you're considering Dr. Harleen Grewal, here’s how to navigate the decision:
1. Check the Clinical Reviews, Not Just the Viral Ones
Go beyond the one-star political rants and the five-star "fan" reviews. Look for the ones from parents talking about actual procedures—fillings, cleanings, and emergency visits. That’s where the truth about the care lives.
2. Visit the Office
Skyline Smiles is known for being modern and clean. Go in for a consultation. See how the staff interacts with your child. Trust your gut. Does it feel like a professional healthcare environment? For most, the answer is yes.
3. Understand the Specialty
Dr. Grewal is board-certified in pediatrics. That’s an extra two to three years of training specifically on how to handle developing mouths and the psychology of a nervous child. That expertise is a separate thing from her political views.
4. Acknowledge Your Own Comfort Level
We live in a polarized world. If a provider's public statements make you uneasy, it will affect your relationship with them. Good healthcare requires a baseline of comfort. If the controversy is a dealbreaker for you, there are plenty of other great dentists in Santa Clarita. But if you care primarily about the technical skill and the "American Dream" hustle, she’s clearly got both.
In the end, Dr. Harleen Grewal remains a prominent figure in the SCV because she refuses to be "canceled" and continues to run a high-volume, high-tech practice. Whether she’s a local hero or a cautionary tale depends entirely on who you ask at the grocery store.
Actionable Insights for Parents:
If you're moving to the area or looking for a change, start by verifying insurance compatibility with Skyline Smiles. Once that's cleared, schedule a simple "meet and greet" cleaning. It’s the lowest-stakes way to see if the office culture and Dr. Grewal’s pediatric approach align with your family's needs without committing to major work right away.