Unlicensed Dentist Arrested in CA for Putting Patient Lives at Risk

Apparently dental care is a booming industry, including to those who are practicing unlicensed dentistry. In a recent article in the Huffington Post, a Moorpark, California man has been accused of practicing unlicensed dentistry from his apartment bathroom.

After a month long investigation, authorities recently arrested William Escobar for claims that the man gave anesthesia injections and dental cleanings to people from his bathroom.  This all came about because one of his customers complained to authorities following what he felt was unusual swelling in his gums.

The Dangers of Unlicensed Dentistry

Authorities claim that when they entered the suspect's apartment, they found an array of dental equipment and medications from the dentist's chair to anesthesia and even orthodontic equipment.  Authorities are now hoping to add charges of illegal orthodontics to the charges of felony practice of dentistry without a license, misdemeanor furnishing of  dangerous drugs and possession of needles.  Authorities are seeking the help of additional patients.

Dentistry may be expensive, but it requires years of medical training in order to extract teeth, work with bodily fluids, and to know what to do in the event a patient has a reaction to drugs used. By practicing without a license, these illegal street dentists put patients' lives at risk in the following ways:

• bacterial or fungal infections
• contamination
• passing of diseases through bodily fluids
• allergic reactions
• damage to a patient's teeth, gums, jaw
• death

Patients who survived these illicit dental appointments should count themselves lucky that they weren't infected with deadly bacteria or that they didn't experience allergic reactions or death.  When it comes to paying for expensive dentistry work, the answer should be to seek insurance, not to trust your life to an unlicensed and unskilled charlatan.

If You Have Been Injured

When community members take these kinds of heavily regulated health care practices and take them underground, patients can suffer.  Patients may suffer a range of symptoms, some of which can forever change someone's life or end it altogether. If you have seen an unregistered dentist and suffered harm, you may be able to collect compensation for your injuries.  Call a skilled personal injury attorney today for help.

Unlicensed Dentistry Puts Patients Lives at Risk

The next time you see a dental practice advertising deals which appear too good to be true, it very may well be true.  Recently, in Pennsylvania, two women were arrested for running an underground unlicensed dentistry that took in many patients, who were unaware that the practice was not licensed. This potentially deadly operation was brought to an end by authorities based on patient complaints. 

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.