Yolany Mejia Carranza, a 55-year-old woman from Long Island, has been arrested for posing as a dentist and performing hazardous dental procedures, including root canals and extractions, despite lacking any dental qualifications. Carranza operated a cash-only makeshift clinic, targeting undocumented and uninsured immigrants, causing severe injuries, including nerve damage and facial paralysis in patients. Over her eight years of operation, she has exploited vulnerable community members without adequate oversight. After her arrest, she was charged with unauthorized practice of a profession and is scheduled to appear in court again.
"What she's doing is extremely dangerous," said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. "We don't know what her background is. What we do know is she was not trained as a dentist."
"It has to be extremely traumatic," said Catalina.
Police say Carranza was exploiting the Hispanic community - mostly undocumented immigrants without insurance, who found out about her practice through word of mouth.
"I would imagine it's extensive," said Catalina, referring to the number of victims.
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