Woman busted for running fake dental office out of NYC apartment kitchen

LONG ISLAND - A 70-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly running an unlicensed dental office out of her one-bedroom apartment in Hempstead, Long Island, according to Nassau County police.

The investigation began after a woman reported that she had undergone a botched dental procedure in July. 

The patient said Gladys Serrano, who claimed to be a dentist, had treated her in the kitchen of the apartment.

What was supposed to be a single tooth extraction turned into Serrano removing five teeth, leaving the patient "bleeding profusely." Suspicious of Serrano’s credentials, the patient contacted authorities.

Police executed a search warrant at Serrano’s apartment, uncovering troubling evidence: a dental chair, unsterilized tools, syringes pre-filled with lidocaine, and a diploma from a dental school in El Salvador dated 1986. 

However, officials found no documentation proving Serrano was licensed to practice dentistry in the United States.

Tools, including dental instruments, were reportedly stored haphazardly in drawers without sterilization. Authorities described the setup as "dangerously unsanitary."

Police believe Serrano operated primarily on patients who didn't have health insurance or believed they couldn’t afford legitimate dental care, relying on word-of-mouth referrals to attract clients.

Serrano was arraigned Wednesday on a charge of unauthorized practice of a profession and pleaded not guilty. If convicted, she could face up to four years in prison.

So far only one victim has come forward. 

The Nassau County District Attorney’s office is urging anyone who may have received treatment from Serrano to contact the DA’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.