A woman in Pennsylvania who reportedly falsely claimed to hold an expanded function dental assistant license and worked briefly for three dentists has been sentenced to 18 to 36 months in prison, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General.
Rose Calese Horne, 44, of Levittown, PA, was sentenced after pleading guilty to felony prohibited use of a radiation source, as well as the misdemeanor of impersonating a holder of a professional or occupational license, according to a press release dated February 3 from the attorney general.
In November 2023, the attorney general began investigating Horne after it received a tip that she was performing dental assistant duties, including taking dental x-rays, without licensing and certifications.
In 2023, Horne worked very briefly at three different practices until she was fired. For four days, Horne purportedly worked at Levittown Dental Associates, where she assisted with about two dozen patients. However, she did not perform any expanded function duties because she failed to provide proof of her certifications. When the certifications couldn't be verified, she was terminated.
Horne was hired as a dental assistant with an expanded function license for a 30-day trial at Bucks County Periodontics in Bensalem, PA. Her resume showed that she had proper licensing and credentials, but the practice never received verification of them.
While working there for three weeks, 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.
Additionally, 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.
