Long Island Woman Ran Illegal Dental Office for 8 Years

Yolany Y. Mejia Carranza, 55, seemed like your average New York neighbor — until police discovered she was allegedly performing dental surgeries out of her house without a license. That's right, Carranza has been accused of running a fully functioning illegal dental office out of her Bay Shore home on Long Island, complete with tools, chairs, and even overseas antibiotics, according to Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina.

The Underground Dentist of Bay Shore

Authorities say this wasn't some fly-by-night operation, either. Carranza had allegedly been pretending to be a dentist for eight years, conducting "complex dental procedures" with only basic local anesthesia as reported by PEOPLE. Unfortunately, things didn't end well for some patients.

Nerve Damage, Facial Paralysis, and a Fake Dentist's Chair

The whole investigation kicked off when three brave patients tipped off the police. They claimed Carranza left them with serious injuries — including one who suffered partial facial paralysis due to nerve damage.

It's believed Carranza targeted vulnerable members of the Hispanic community — many of whom were undocumented and uninsured. Officials are urging any additional victims to come forward, reassuring the public that they will never question immigration status, according to The Independent.

Shocked Neighbors and Shady Setups

Neighbors were stunned. "Pretty shocking. Out of nowhere. After a long day of work, (I) saw 15 cars of police officers in my neighborhood," said Alfredo Valle, according to The Independent. Another neighbor, Steve Contreras, told CBS that Carranza seemed "normal" and "never said nothing about dentist work. We didn't know anything, so it's like wow," as reported by PEOPLE.

When police raided her home on March 13, they found more than just a dental chair. The place was decked out like a real clinic — except it wasn't. Carranza even had antibiotics from overseas on hand, but no official credentials in sight.

Oh, and this wasn't her first rodeo. Detectives suspect she previously ran a similar illegal dental practice out of a location in Huntington Station, just 15 miles away.

What's Next?

Carranza pleaded not guilty to three counts of Unauthorized Practice of a Profession — a Class E felony.

Anyone who thinks they might be a victim is encouraged to contact the Third Squad at 631-854-8352 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-220-TIPS.

References: N.Y. Woman Allegedly Pretended to Be a Dentist, Targeted Hispanic Community and Inflicted 'Nerve Damage' and 'Partial Facial Paralysis': Police | 'Fake dentist' accused of carrying out procedures without enough anesthetic and causing patients nerve damage