Long Island Woman Charged with Allegedly Practicing Unlicensed Dentistry Out of Apartment Kitchen

ABC Eyewitness News
By News 12 Staff
12/04/24

Long Island Woman Charged with Allegedly Practicing Unlicensed Dentistry Out of Apartment Kitchen

A woman from Long Island faces 4-years in jail for allegedly practicing unlicensed dentistry from her one-bedroom apartment.

Gladys Serrano, 70, was arraigned and released Tuesday but must wear an electronic monitoring device, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly.

Authorities said the 70-year-old ran the unlicensed dentistry out of her Hempstead kitchen.

When officers executed a search warrant, they found a curtain hanging in the kitchen and a patient chair positioned near a sink, with drawers full of dental instruments that appeared to be used, impression molds, extraction tools, tartar scrapers, and a large container containing what appeared to be numerous empty vials of medication and used dental needles.

Boxes labeled as single-use dental needles, Amoxicillin capsules, Relaflex, and Lidocaine were also recovered.

Court documents allege she conducted dental procedures, including extractions.

Court documents also allege Serrano extracted five teeth from a victim who she told needed to be extracted because they were rotting.

Serrano allegedly extracted the teeth, gave the victim pieces of paper towel to absorb the large amount of blood coming from the area and told her to rinse with salt water.

The victim was instructed to return to see Serrano several times after the extractions, including being told she needed a bridge, court documents said.

A search of New York State records conducted failed to disclose any individuals licensed to practice dentistry in the State of New York with the name of Gladys Serrano.

Serrano is due back in court on January 8, 2025. If convicted, the defendant faces up to four years in prison.

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