Unlicensed Texas Dentist Arrested for Botched Procedures
A Texas woman is in serious legal trouble after allegedly posing as a dentist and performing dental procedures.
Angelica Vivas, age 41, has been charged with two felony counts of practicing dentistry without a license, according to the Houston Police Department. Vivas administered anesthesia and and performed a 'botched root canal'.
Vivas had an office in Katy, Texas, where she allegedly treated patients under the false pretense that she was a licensed dentist. Documentation showed that she placed at least two patients under anesthesia despite not having any qualifications to do so.
One patient recounted her traumatic experience with Vivas. In February, she went to Vivas for what was supposed to be a routine root canal. However, Vivas allegedly removed two molars unnecessarily in a failed attempt to access the problematic tooth.
After realizing she couldn’t complete the root canal, Vivas reportedly sent the patient home with pain medication and told her that the root of the tooth would eventually “come out on its own.”
The patient continued to experience excruciating pain and went to a different dentist to get a second opinion, where she was told the extent of the damage and that she would need to undergo a corrective surgery. The patient was also advised to report Vivas to the police.
Once the patient filed a complaint, undercover officers posed as potential patients and went to Vivas's office, where she presented as a dentist and offered to perform dental procedures on both officers. Vivas was arrested and appeared in court Wednesday.
Vivas was released on a $50K bond but tis prohibited from offering, advertising, or performing any dental services.
Law enforcement believes that more patients may have fallen victim to Vivas’s illegal dental operations. They are urging anyone who received treatment from her to contact the police.
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