AN ALLEGED fake dentist was caught by Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Central Visayas on Thursday, September 13, in her house in Barangay Pardo, Cebu City.

The suspect was identified as Karen Sombilon Bucog, 35.

Bucog was caught during a joint operation conducted by personnel of the CIDG, PNP Dental Service and the Philippine Dental Association, for violation of Republic Act (RA) 9484 or the Illegal Practice of Dentistry.

The suspect was caught in the act of administering dental procedure on complainant Marie Grace Brioso, who was accompanied by a police decoy. When asked for credentials, the suspect could not show any.

Confiscated from the suspect were several dental materials like face masks and boxes of assorted elastics, ortho brackets, mouth retractors and Ortho wires, among others. Most are used for orthodontic treatments or braces.

PDA Cebu Chapter head Dr. Felix Asoy said this entrapment operation is just the start of many to come.

"Rampant na kaayo ni karon ang mga illegal practitioners," Asoy said.

Asoy added that they learned about Bucog's operation after a patient came into the clinic of Dr. Lucilo Niñal to have a tooth extracted.

Niñal, who happens to be the vice president for Visayas of the PDA, saw that the patient had dentures and braces at the same time, which should not have happened if a dentist did it.

Dentists also do not attend to a patient without referral from their own dentists. When asked who her dentist is, the patient told him, she only found her online.

"Ingon ani ka intense among action kay dili kami ang ma-apektado. Ang apektado ang mga pasyente nga mahimong victims. In any procedure, bisan kinsa nga expert, naa gyud possibility nga naay complications. How much more sa dili expert," said Asoy. (KAL/With MCB)