A New York woman was taken into custody on Friday and is facing allegations of performing dental procedures without a license at a dental office located in her Long Island home, according to Suffolk County Police per Huff Post. 

Yolany Y. Mejia Carranza, 55, has been charged with three felony counts of unauthorized practice of a profession after several individuals who sought her dental services reported suffering injuries due to her practices. Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina stated at a press conference that at least one individual experienced severe nerve damage that resulted in partial facial paralysis. 

Mejia Carranza was “operating as a dentist without actually being a dentist,” Catalina said. Catalina told reporters that the woman had previously run another illegal dental practice in Huntington Station, but relocated her operation to her home in Bay Shore when she believed she was at risk of being caught, as reported by KGNS-TV. A search of her residence uncovered a “fully functioning dentist’s office,” according to the announcement.

According to Catalina, Mejia Carranza’s patients were only given local anesthesia and were not provided with the proper anesthesia required for the “complex dental procedures she was performing,” as reported by WABC-TV. Authorities also discovered antibiotics that had been imported from overseas. Police believe there are additional victims. Catalina said during the press conference that Mejia Carranza specifically targeted the Hispanic community, particularly those without health insurance and many who were undocumented.

Mejia Carranza has pleaded not guilty and is currently out of jail on supervised release, according to KGNS-TV.

#Clique, what are your thoughts?