A 55-year-old woman from New York has been arrested for allegedly pretending to be a dentist and performing complex dental procedures without any proper licensing, according to local authorities.
Yolany Y. Mejia Carranza operated an illegal dental office out of her home, which was uncovered during a police search on March 13. Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina released a statement about the situation the following day.
The investigation began when police received tips that Carranza had harmed several patients, causing serious issues such as severe nerve damage and even partial facial paralysis in one case.
Commissioner Catalina mentioned that she appeared to have been targeting individuals within the Hispanic community, many of whom were uninsured and might have been undocumented.
Authorities believe there could be more victims, and they are encouraging anyone affected to come forward. Commissioner Catalina assured that the police would not ask for their immigration status.
Carranza faces three counts of Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, classified as a Class E felony. During the investigation, it was revealed that she used anesthetics on her clients, but those provided were insufficient for the complicated dental work she claimed to perform.
Reports indicate that Carranza may have been working illegally for up to eight years and had previously run another illegal dental practice in a different location in Long Island.
One of her neighbors described her as a regular person who did not mention anything about dentistry, expressing surprise at the revelation.
Carranza has pleaded not guilty, and her next court appearance is set for April 1.
