A case in Singapore has come to light involving a 37-year-old Malaysian woman named Siti Shahrima Abd Rahim. Despite not being a qualified dentist and originally working as a part-time waitress, she repeatedly traveled to Singapore to perform dental treatments. Siti promoted her services through contacts on Carousell and WhatsApp, arranging appointments and booking hotel rooms in Singapore to carry out the treatments. Her trips to Singapore were frequent.
Siti underwent braces treatment in 2020 in Malaysia. However, during COVID lockdown restrictions and movement control, she taught herself through YouTube videos. To do so, she purchased tools and equipment from the online market. In the same year, in August, she began advertising various services, including braces, veneers, and retainers, in Singapore. For this purpose, she would frequently visit to perform these Illegal dental work in a hotel room.
Siti used to perform treatments in hotels, and in total, she had performed 30 treatments, including braces and veneers. It was only in 2022 when a 36-year-old Singaporean permanent resident contacted Siti regarding issues with her existing veneers. Siti promised to perform a treatment involving the removal of the existing veneers and replacement with new ones. The total cost estimate was $700, and the procedure took 2 hours. However, the next day after the procedure, the patient noticed that the spaces between her teeth were too small, making it impossible to floss. She contacted Siti via WhatsApp, but Siti claimed that due to COVID-19 quarantine, she couldn't attend to her and couldn't do anything. After a few texts, Siti blocked her, prompting the patient to contact the Ministry of Health leading to Siti's fine of $2,500 to $3,000 and imprisonment.
Under the Dental Registration Act, Siti faced two charges, to which she pleaded guilty to one and consented to another. Siti was fined for causing harm and potential injury, misrepresenting her identity, and repeatedly entering Singapore to commit this crime. She has been sentenced to one and a half years' imprisonment.
In a similar story reported in Indonesia, a patient named Putri Walandari highlighted how she fell for an unlicensed dental worker practicing dentistry. Most of the people who cannot afford qualified practitioners visit these unlicensed workers and suffer from ill-treatment, which is heavily promoted through Facebook and Instagram. The report recounts the experience of Putri Wulandari, who went to a roadside shop in Jakarta for her malaligned teeth. The place was a small, dingy establishment next to a washroom. The individual who greeted Wulandari didn't wear a mask or gloves and immediately began discussing treatment options without proper precautions. Wulandari had wanted braces for a long time, and since the fees of qualified dentists were too high, she found the treatment at this place affordable and proceeded with it. These unlicensed dental practitioners, also known as ‘Tukang Gigi’, are often found in alleys and side streets with bright signboards. They advertise themselves with pearly whites and bloody red gums, offering treatment at low prices, targeting those in the low-income group. They are self-taught and lack official qualifications.
Legally, they are only allowed to make dentures and are prohibited from performing other dental treatments. However, in reality, they perform a wide range of treatments beyond their scope and advertise them on Instagram and Facebook.
This was the case when Wulandari visited an unlicensed dental worker. In the end, she was deeply disheartened and disappointed because her initial minor misalignment worsened after the treatment, causing a lot of pain. Whenever she went back to the place, she was assured that her experience was normal. When she attempted to complain and visit the place again, she found that the so-called dentist had packed up his shop and left.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Dr. Manav Chaturvedi/MSM)
