A lady from Long Island faces four years in prison for allegedly practicing unlicensed dentistry from her one-bedroom apartment.
Gladys Serrano, 70, was arraigned and released on Tuesday, but must wear an electronic monitoring device, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly.
According to authorities, the 70-year-old practiced unlicensed dentistry out of her Hempstead kitchen.
When officers executed a search warrant, they discovered a curtain hanging in the kitchen and a patient chair near a sink, as well as drawers full of used dental instruments such as impression molds, extraction tools, tartar scrapers, and a large container containing what appeared to be numerous empty vials of medication and dental needles.
Boxes labelled as single-use dentistry needles, Amoxicillin capsules, Relaflex, and Lidocaine were also found.
Court filings claim she performed dental treatments, including extractions.
According to court filings, Serrano pulled five teeth from a victim, telling her that they needed to be extracted because they were rotten.
Serrano allegedly pulled the victim’s teeth, gave her paper towels to soak the considerable amount of blood pouring from the area, and instructed her to rinse with saltwater.
According to court filings, the woman was urged to return to see Serrano multiple times following the extractions, including that she required a bridge.
A search of New York State records revealed no individuals licensed to practice dentistry in the state of New York under the name Gladys Serrano.
Serrano is due back in court on January 8, 2025. If convicted, the defendant may face up to four years in prison.