Yolany Mejia Carranza, Long Isand fake dentist preyed on Hispanic community and illegal migrants without medical insurance for cash. Bay Shore resident performed dental work on unsuspecting victims without a license.
A Long Island woman is accused of performing dental work without a license, operating a practice out of her home in which she almost exclusively preyed on the Hispanic community, including undocumented immigrants for nearly a decade.
Yolany Mejia Carranza, 55, of Bay Shore and Honduras emigre, was arrested after several patients reported injuries, including one victim who was left in grave danger following one recent treatment, according to a Facebook release from the Suffolk County Police Department.
‘We have one person that suffered partial facial paralysis … I think her patients were in grave danger,’ Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina told reporters during a weekend press conference.
Fake dentist preyed on illegal migrants
An investigation of the fake dentist’s home led to investigators coming across a fully functioning dental office adjacent to the kitchen, CBS News reported.
According to cops, the fake dentist called herself ‘Dr. Yolany,’ accepting cash for dental work from Hispanic community members who didn’t have medical insurance or worse were residing illegally in the U.S.
Three alleged victims later came forward, all saying the dental work Carranza performed resulted in serious injuries, prosecutors stated according to Eyewitness News.
Police say Carranza had a previous practice, which was also illegal, in Huntington Station.
‘We think that there’s probably more complainants out there, and we would strongly encourage them to come forward,’ Catalina said. ‘We believe that she was targeting the Hispanic community, mostly people who did not have health insurance.’
‘I think everyone knows it’s not really fun to go to the dentist you can only imagine what this experience was like for her patients,’ Catalina added. ‘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. She was a full-service dentist.’
The revelations left unassuming locals gobsmacked.
‘She is like a normal neighbor, just walking around here and there, and never said nothing about dentist work. We didn’t know anything, so it’s like wow,’ neighbor Steve Contreras told CBS News.
Appearing in court last week, Carranza pleaded not guilty to three counts of un-authorized practice of a profession. She surrendered her passport and is due back in court April 1.
The judge has ordered Carranza to stay away from one of the patient witnesses. Her attorney said the order was unnecessary.
It’s unclear if Carranza had a dental background in her native Honduras. She has lived in the United States for 20 years.
Police are now looking for other potential victims of the fraudulent practice.
