Ebony McBean, Raleigh, N.C woman charged operating dentist practice with no dental license after claiming she had 15 years experience as an orthodontic assistant. Fake dentist teamed up with Dr Ramsey who was already under probation. Scam led to botched procedures, patients experiencing pain and out of pocket.
A Raleigh, North Carolina woman is accused of opening a dental practice without having a dental license leading to patients experiencing severe pain following botched procedures.
Ebony Nicohole McBean, 42, who claims having previously worked as a an orthodontic assistant for more than 15 years, opted to open her own dental practice without having ever gone to dental school or having a license. What could go wrong? A lot as it turned out according to investigators.
McBean charged patients between $4,000 and $5,280 for braces (presumably undercutting near rivals and enticing unwitting patients to use her services). Several patients later reported severe pain and having to visit licensed dentists to correct the problems, WRAL reported.
The Smiling Face Company aka The Fake Dentist Scam taking advantage of unsuspecting clientele
McBean was recently probed as a feature story about patients who spent thousands to get braces from her business, The Smiling Face Company, only to be unable to answer questions answered patient demands for refunds, future service and patient records.
McBean allegedly informed all her victims that she was employed by Dr Ramsey, with whom she would consult for the installation and upkeep of orthodontic procedures on each of her patients.
However, McBean has no connection whatsoever to Ramsey, according to the arrest warrants. Dr Darren Ramsey was the company’s dental medical director and the provider mentioned on invoices, according to WRAL News. On the board’s webpage, Ramsey’s license was listed as being on probation.
The rise of people posing as dentists and performing botched work
Smiling Face Company ‘abruptly’ closed its doors in October due to the negative feedback it received from its clientele. Attempts by patients to get refunds were met with no response.
McBean’s arrest on Friday, February 14 came more than three months after warrants were first issued in November 2025. Court records show she was charged with practicing medicine without a license and three felony counts of obtaining property by false pretense.
She posted a $3,000 bond Saturday morning and is scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon.
This episode comes after the State Board of Dental Examiners previously warning the public about a troubling trend of people posing as dentists to perform shoddy work that would later cost a lot of money to repair.
