brothers also face multiple civil lawsuits filed in New York
this year on similar
accusations. We have a shocking
story to tell you about on Long
Island. We first told you about
this yesterday on News 4. A
woman accused of practicing
unlicensed dentistry in this
apartment kitchen, even pulling
people’s teeth. News 4’s Greg
Cergol takes a closer look at
the allegations and the charges
that woman faces. This Hempstead
apartment building was home to
Nassau, prosecutors say, to a
unit whose kitchen doubled as a
makeshift dental office. You
wouldn’t do it. Never. Neighbor
Lizette Reyes found it hard to
believe. The word that comes to
mind is disgusting. But Nassau
DA today showed us the dental
tools and drugs that were seized
from inside that apartment. She
had a curtain up. Half the
kitchen was kind of cut, you
know, behind the curtain and a
dentist chair. 70 year old
Gladys Serrano was the woman
charged with doing dental work
without a license. One of her
alleged patients alerted
prosecutors after a visit last
July. This victim went to her.
She had cracked one tooth. She
told her she needed five pulled
because they were rotting and
she pulled five teeth out of
her. The DA says Serrano may
have had dental training in El
Salvador. It’s believed she
marketed her bogus practice to
Spanish speaking patients. The
DA is now asking those patients
to come forward. A lot.
Serrano’s apartment was locked
up today. She’s pleaded not
guilty to a criminal charge of
unlawful practice. Of a
profession that’s so, so
dangerous. So many things could
happen. Karen Marquez runs this
dental hygiene clinic at
Farmingdale State College. The
students and professional staff
here offer preventative dental
care for those who might not
otherwise be able to afford it.
I had a patient come in the
other day, and she said that she
hasn’t gotten a cleaning in a
really long time because she
doesn’t have dental insurance.
That cleaning cost $25. The
students here treat about 3 to
400 patients every year. One of
several colleges doing this to
provide an alternative to the
kind of dental care that
prosecutors say was delivered in
this Hempstead apartment. This
is absolutely an option. Yes.
And the more people that can
hear about it and take advantage
of it, it’s best for everyone.