A New York woman faces felony charges after pretending to be a dentist and injuring some of her "patients."
Suffolk County police discovered a makeshift dentist's office in a Bay Shore Home March 13 after receiving several tips about the operation. Yolany Y. Mejia Carranza, 55, was charged with three counts of unauthorized practice of a profession, a Class E felony.
"Carranza was operating as a dentist without actually being a dentist," Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said in a press conference posted to Facebook. "We received tips that Carranza had injured several patients and in one case caused severe nerve damage that led to partial facial paralysis."
Catalina said Carranza patients did not receive the pain relief they should have given the work being performed, according to WABC-7. "She did not use anesthesia, but she used a local anesthesia, but no one was getting the anesthesia for the complex dental procedures she was doing," Catalina told the station.
Catalina said that police suspect there are more victims of Carranza's amateur dental work, and encouraged those people to come forward.
"We believe she was targeting the Hispanic community. Mostly people who did not have health insurance, and many of whom may be in the country illegally," Catalina said.
He said that people should feel safe coming forward to the police, noting that the department would not inquire into their immigration status.
"We want to ensure any complainants that the Suffolk County Police Department will never inquire about your immigration status, so please come forward if you have been a victim of Carranza," Catalina added.
Although police believe most of the work was done at 1847 Heckscher Avenue in Bay Shore, detectives believe that she was previously operating an illegal dental business at 135 Broadway in Huntington Station.
