A Florida woman has been arrested after police say she performed unlicensed dental work, even allegedly using nail glue on the teeth of an unsuspecting customer.
Emely Martinez, 35, of Pinellas County was arrested on Aug. 20 after multiple victims filed complaints with Pinellas Park police, alleging that they endured pain, infection and complications after they visited her for veneer treatments, according to arrest records obtained by USA TODAY.
Some victims were forced to undergo emergency dental procedures and surgery after receiving her services, court documents said. Multiple customers told police that they were unaware that Martinez, operating out of Tapp Inn Beauty Bar, was not properly licensed to do dental work.
Martinez, advertising herself online as “Itsthe Veneerlady,” offered veneer services, or the installation of custom-made shells that fit over teeth, at a fraction of the price charged by professional dental offices. While veneers generally cost $800 to $1,800 per tooth, Martinez advertised full-mouth services at $3,000 and charged one client just $2,500.
What services did Emely Martinez allegedly provide?
Police complaints alleged that Martinez took thousands from customers and then either ignored them when they followed up about complications or, in one case, told a victim she “did not care if licensing was needed” when confronted about her lack of credentials. In one case, a licensed dentist told police they believed nail glue had been used to secure the veneers to a victim’s teeth.
On Facebook, Martinez advertises several services, including teeth whitening, tooth replacements, “non-surgical” lip filler, and, in one “back-to-school” post, whitening services for children. All of these services require schooling, training and licensure in Florida.
Martinez has been charged with fraud and practicing dentistry without an active license, both felonies.
She was previously arrested in nearby Hillsborough County for similar charges of unlicensed dental work, and police believe she changed her name and the name of her business to continue operating in several areas. On the “Veneerlady” Facebook page, posts mentioned multiple locations operating under the business name with several employees, including in Tampa, Orlando and Clearwater.
USA TODAY could not identify an attorney on file for Martinez but reached out to her business pages for comment on Tuesday, Aug. 26. None of the pages have yet to respond.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Woman allegedly used nail glue during illegal dental work, police say
