A Los Angeles man was arrested for providing illegal dental services in the bathroom of his apartment, including performing orthodontic treatments on teenagers.
William Escobar was arrested in Moorpark, a suburb of Los Angeles, after he threatened a patient for not paying him, according to a Ventura County Sheriff's Office press release.
The investigation started after an unhappy patient told police that Escobar cleaned his teeth, injected him with an anesthetic, and evaluated him for an extraction. The man didn't have enough money to pay for the extraction, so Escobar refused to do it, according to the sheriff's department.
When police visited Escobar's apartment with a search warrant, they discovered an illegal dental office complete with anesthetics, a dental chair, dental tools, and prosthodontic and orthodontic items.
Evidence revealed that Escobar had numerous customers, including teenagers who were receiving orthodontic care, authorities noted.
Escobar was charged with felony practice of dentistry without a license, misdemeanor furnishing of dangerous drugs, and possession of needles.