Imposter dental assistant may face more charges

A woman charged with impersonating a dental assistant at three offices in Pennsylvania may face additional charges for violating the condition of her bail for working at a fourth practice, according to a story published on May 9 in the Bucks County Courier Times.

Rose Calese Horne, 43, of Middletown, PA, may have been working at a fourth dental practice, though she told authorities during her April arrest that she was no longer working, which was a condition of her bail, according to the story.

An attorney with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office stated at Horne's preliminary hearing on May 8 that it was investigating whether Horne was working at a dental practice in Philadelphia after her arrest. More charges may be filed against Horne if these allegations are founded.

At the hearing, all charges, including five counts of prohibited use of radiation sources, were upheld against Horne, and her case is expected to go to trial. Currently, she is being held in jail on a detainer in Philadelphia.

In November 2023, state authorities began investigating Horne after receiving a tip that she was performing dental assistant duties, including taking dental x-rays, without licensing and certifications. The Dental Assisting National Board and the state dental board had no records confirming that Horne was a licensed dental assistant or certified to use dental x-ray equipment.

During 2023, Horne allegedly worked very briefly at three different practices in suburban dental practices until she was fired. For four days, Horne purportedly worked at Levittown Dental Associates in Levittown, PA, where she assisted with about two dozen patients. Due to failing to provide proof of her certifications, she did not perform any expanded function duties. She was terminated when her certifications could not be verified.

Horne was hired as a dental assistant with an expanded function license for a 30-day trial at Bucks County Periodontics in Bensalem, PA, but proper licensing and credentials could not be verified. During her three weeks of employment, she reportedly assisted with 17 surgeries and performed multiple x-rays. The dentist at the practice told investigators that she was terminated for being excessively late and spending too much time on her phone.

Finally, Horne reportedly worked at Langhorne Family Smiles in Middletown, PA, for 20 days. The dentist and practice owner told investigators that Horne showed him a copy of her x-ray certification, but he did not get a copy of it. She was fired for complaining about the dental assisting work and failing to be a good team player.