Unlicensed dentist arrested by undercover Hong Kong police officer posing as patient
- Dental equipment and controlled medicine seized during a raid on Cheung Sha Wan flat where 71-year-old woman allegedly practised dentistry
- Undercover operation carried out in response to a recent complaint, police say
An undercover Hong Kong police officer impersonating a patient has arrested an unlicensed dentist accused of operating a clinic from her home.
Officers seized dental equipment as well as controlled medicine during a raid on the Cheung Sha Wan flat, where the 71-year-old woman allegedly practised dentistry.
Police said the undercover operation was carried out on Friday morning in response to a complaint they received recently.
The woman was detained on suspicion of practising dentistry without a licence – an offence punishable by up to three years in prison and a HK$100,000 fine, according to the force.
Police also arrested her for allegedly possessing controlled medicine, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail and a HK$100,000 fine upon conviction.
As of Friday afternoon, the woman was still being held for questioning.
In a separate operation in March, undercover agents posing as patients suffering from toothache arrested two unlicensed dentists – both 70 – who were allegedly using their homes in the same building in Kwai Chung as dental clinics on the same day.
In the two clinics, police seized dentist chairs and other gear, as well as controlled medicine.
The force urged the public not to seek services from unlicensed dentists, warning that their facilities lacked proper hygiene conditions and posed risks to patients’ health.
