Unlicensed ‘Dentist’ Ran Clinic Using Internet Tutorials
A shocking case has emerged from the Czech Republic where a 22-year-old man, posing as a dentist, operated an illegal dental surgery out of his home for two years, reportedly learning complex procedures like root canals and tooth extractions by watching videos and reading instructions online.
Czech police have charged the young man and two family members who allegedly assisted him in running the unlicensed clinic in Havlickuv Brod. Authorities stated the trio treated dozens of patients without holding any legitimate professional qualifications or knowledge required for dental practice.
Operating Without a License: Self-Taught Dentistry
According to police, the 22-year-old man performed invasive procedures, including pulling teeth, conducting root canal therapy, and administering anaesthesia, relying solely on information gleaned from the internet. He completely lacked the necessary formal training and expertise for such critical medical treatments.
His operation wasn’t small-scale. Over their two years of illegal activity, the clinic treated a significant number of patients and generated an estimated four million Czech koruna in income, which is roughly equivalent to £137,827 or $185,500.
Family Involvement and Access to Supplies
The fake dentist wasn’t working alone. Police identified two other family members involved in the scheme:
A 50-year-old woman (identified as the man’s mother in reports) worked as a ‘nurse’. Leveraging her access to dental supplies through her work in the health sector, she allegedly provided essential materials such as anaesthetics, fillings, cleaning powders, glue, and impression materials.
A 44-year-old man was reportedly responsible for producing prosthetic devices for the patients.
Charges and Guilty Pleas
The three individuals were arrested earlier this month and subsequently faced a range of serious charges this week. Beyond operating an illegal business, the charges included:
Money laundering
Attempted assault
Drug dealing
Theft
Police have confirmed that all three have pleaded guilty to a number of the charges brought against them. They now face potential prison sentences of up to eight years.
Authorities did not comment on whether the investigation was initiated based on complaints from patients who received treatment at the unlicensed surgery.
Not an Isolated Incident
The president of the Czech dental chamber, Roman Šmucler, highlighted that cases of fake dentists are not uncommon in the country. He stated that his organization typically receives reports of around 10 such cases annually, noting that on the day this news broke, they had already received three new submissions regarding similar instances. This suggests a broader issue of unlicensed individuals attempting to perform dental work in the Czech Republic.
