The duo were the dental assistant and the receptionist for a licensed dentist in the area. However, they had a side business that the licensed dentist was not aware of- an unlicensed dentist practice catering to uninsured patients at night. After the office closed for the day, the duo would get to work performing the same services their licensed boss performed during the day.
How Patients Were at Risk
Patients were put at risk because the women performing their dental work were not licensed to do so with the necessary schooling, training, and hours with patients. What's truly scary is that one of these two women had no medical or dental training whatsoever. This is shocking, considering these women were performing procedures which carried potential risk to patients that their licensed boss had spent years perfecting as a licensed professional.
The duo were brazen in their patient care; they did not keep records nor did they keep receipts for their cash only business. They also:
- did not ask patients about drug allergies
- did not take xrays
- injected numbing medications
- pulled teeth
- performed root canals
- put braces on patients, including young patient
As one patient told authorities, their treatment left him in excruciating pain for nearly an hour. What's worse is their treatments could have spread infection or created deadly health problems for patients.
Unlicensed health care is a huge problem and can be deadly for patients looking for a deal. If you encounter such a scam, you should seek the help of authorities and call a skilled personal injury lawyer. These kinds of unlicensed health care operations could leave patients with lasting health problems and financial distress as a result.
