Woman Accused of Operating ‘Unsanitary’ Dentisty From Kitchen of Her One-Bedroom Apartment

On Tuesday, Gladys Serrano, 70, was charged with unauthorized practice of a profession after she was found to be “practicing dentistry from the kitchen of her apartment without a license,” according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.

While executing a search warrant of her home, authorities reportedly 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,” per the district attorney’s press release.

“It’s a dangerous, dangerous street she was walking down. You infect somebody with using one of these tools in their mouth and you could kill them,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said, per ABC 7.

“So unsanitary and so frightening for people who might have gone there,” Donnelly added.

According to local outlet FOX 5, authorities called the environment “dangerously unsanitary.” While executing the search warrant, police also reportedly discovered a diploma from a dental school, allegedly dated 1986.

The investigation into Serrano reportedly began after someone claiming to be a patient reported her to authorities, saying Serrano charged her nearly $2,000 for a dental procedure in her apartment in July.

According to the patient, per ABC 7 and FOX 5, she went in for a single tooth extraction, but Serrano allegedly told her she needed to have five teeth extracted, claiming they were rotting.

Donnelly told FOX 5 that the patient claimed she was “bleeding profusely” after the allegedly botched extraction. Court documents, per ABC 7, reportedly show that Serrano gave the woman paper towel to stop the bleeding.

The woman reported Serrano following the procedure after she became “very suspicious” of Serrano’s credentials, according to FOX 5.

ABC 7 reported that officials weren’t able to match a license to practice dentistry in the state of New York with the name of Gladys Serrano. FOX 5, meanwhile, said officials found no license for Serrano in the entire country.

Authorities allegedly believe Serrano’s patients were primarily those who were uninsured or could not afford dental care.

Serrano was arraigned and released on Tuesday, Donnelly said, per ABC 7. However, the DA said she is required to wear an electronic monitoring device. Serrano also had to turn in her passport.

She pleaded not guilty, and is scheduled to appear in court on January 8. Serrano faces up to four years in prison.