Fake dentists caught treating patients during raids on five illegal clinics in Thailand

Fake dentists were caught treating patients during raids on five illegal clinics in Thailand.

Authorities raided the backstreet clinics in Bangkok and its outskirts following complaints about unlicenced dental practitioners in the area.

Acting on reports from the Samut Sakhon Public Health Office, the Consumer Protection Police Division staked out five locations to gather evidence for search warrants.

Simultaneous raids were conducted on August 20, with five suspects arrested and more than 330,000 baht of unregistered medicines, dental tools, and medical equipment seized.

Officers said the fake dentists had set up roadside shops where they provided the illegal services.

Porn, 30, was allegedly caught applying etching gel to a client to create 'fashion braces'. She said she earns more than 15,000 baht a month from the DIY procedure she learned on YouTube.

Somchai, 61, reportedly made dental impressions and dentures from his home, earning up to 50,000 baht a month. He said he had worked for 10 years as a dental laboratory technician when he was 16 before setting up his own clinic, where he has been working for 30 years.

Similarly, Saifon, 44, had previously worked as a dental technician before manufacturing dental impressions for retainers at her home.

While Uthai, 56, reportedly ran a roadside dental shop in Bangkok, where she served four to five customers a day and made dentures.

The last suspect, Ma, 26, was a qualified nurse. However, she was allegedly caught administering an intravenous vitamin drip to a customer at a beauty clinic without a doctor supervising her, violating local laws.

Authorities said all five were charged under the Dental Profession Act, the Medical Profession Act, and the Hospital Act for 'practicing medicine without a license', as well as 'establishing and operating a medical facility without permission'.

Police Major General Natthasak Chaowanasai, commander of the Consumer Protection Police Division, said: ‘This arrest serves as a warning to those considering impersonating medical personnel to exploit others for profit at the expense of safety and treating people without any sense of social responsibility.

‘Receiving treatment from illegal practitioners carries an extremely high risk of infection, medical errors or even permanent disability, consequences that are truly priceless in terms of damage.

‘It highlights how a moment of carelessness in choosing a service provider can alter your life forever.'