SINGAPORE — A Malaysian woman was fined $2,500 in court on Monday (April 8) for illegally performing dental procedures on clients in Singapore using skills she had learned from watching YouTube videos.
According to local media outlet CNA, the court heard that Siti Shahrima Abd Rahim died as an online dentist. He would enter Singapore on short-term visitor passes to assist clients with braces maintenance and veneer application in a hotel room.
The 37-year-old’s actions came to light when one of her clients failed to floss her teeth after Siti had her veneers fitted and she filed a report with the Ministry of Health (MOH).
City pleaded guilty to a charge under the Dental Registration Act. A second category was also considered, CNA reported.
He got skills from YouTube and used inappropriate equipment
The court heard that Siti first learned how to perform dental procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic when she was unable to visit the dentist despite wearing braces due to Malaysia’s movement control order.
She watched YouTube videos to gain the know-how to perform various procedures on her own braces, CNA reported.
He then posted on Carousell, offering dental services such as veneer whitening, teeth whitening and braces and providing retainers, charging $600 to $700 for each procedure.
When potential clients contacted her, she would tell them she was a Malaysian dentist and ask them to meet her in a hotel room a few days later.
Although she was not registered as a dentist in Singapore under the Dental Registration Act and did not have a valid practicing certificate, she is estimated to have had over 30 clients – about 20 clients for composite veneers, about 10 for splint maintenance and at least one for cosmetic braces.
He did the procedure on a sofa
In January 2022, a woman from the Philippines contacted Siti and was given $700 to remove her existing veneers and install new ones. After agreeing to the price, Siti asked her to go to a hotel on January 30.
In the room, Siti asked the woman to lie down on the sofa and put a dental surgical gown on her. After asking her to use a mouthpiece, Siti used a tool she bought at Shopee, similar to those used to remove a manicure, to remove her old veneers before applying new ones.
The client realized the next day that she could not floss her teeth as there was almost no space between them. She contacted Siti, who informed her that she couldn’t “do anything about it” due to the COVID-19 quarantine.
The woman then wrote an email to the Ministry of Health (MOH) about her experience, CNA reported.
The court heard a report drawn up by an independent dental expert which said Siti had not used the correct instruments during the procedure. The report also said that Siti’s actions could have resulted in the client needing more complex procedures.
Asking for a fine, the MOH prosecutor said Siti’s offense could have caused more serious injuries.
Siti had asked to pay the fine in installments, saying she had to borrow money. He also said he wanted to return to Malaysia as soon as possible for the Hari Raya celebrations and borrow more money.
During sentencing, the judge said that in addition to the harm the victim had suffered, Siti had been misrepresenting herself as a dentist for 18 months, a period of offending that was not short.
City ended up paying the fine in full.
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