A twenty-nine-year-old permanent resident yesterday pleaded guilty to 22 counts of practising as a dentist without registration.

She admitted in the Magistrate's Court to fitting braces on patients and giving consultation to patients whom she managed to find through her Facebook page.

The defendant, Hayimmah binti Bahri, asked for leniency for the sake of her two children and apologised to those who received her 'treatment'.

Magistrate Azrirnah bind Abdul Rahman fixed the case for sentencing on May 2.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Dayangku Didi-Nuraza binti Pengiran Haji Abdul Latiff urged the court to consider the sentence by taking into account the aggravating factors of the case.

The prosecution highlighted that the defendant is not a qualified and professionally-trained dentist. A total of 22 patients were identified as victims of her quackery during police investigations.

The defendant committed the offence spanning over one year from end 2012 until April 2014. She advised the patients to return every month for further appointment and charged between $250-$450 for fitting braces on each patient and a further $15-$30 for each subsequent appointment.

The prosecution argued that the defendant poses a danger to the public as she is not a trained dentist.

Fixing spurious devices on unwary individuals in unconventional settings calls into question the nature of instruments and disinfection protocols used by the defendant. Improper practices in decontamination and sterilisation may result in transmission of lethal diseases.

The braces used by the defendant may cause side effects such as pain from decayed teeth and gum disease, the prosecution noted, urging that in the interest of the public, a sentence appropriate to the gravity of offences committed ought to be considered.

The prosecution also objected to bail considering that the defendant had been convicted and also on the basis of the aggravating factors submitted in the case which warrants custodial sentence.

The court agreed with the Public Prosecutor's submissions and ordered for the remand of the defendant until sentencing.

It was revealed that a doctor of the Brunei Medical Board lodged a report on July 29, 2013, stating that a number of patients had approached the Dental Services Department, Ministry of Health, to fix the braces that were fitted by an online seller with a Facebook account name 'Sop Chery Chery'.

The report was made because the braces have caused damage to teeth and supporting tissues.

The report also questioned the quality of the instruments used by the 'fake' dentist and pointed out that 'Sop Chery Chery' was practising dentistry without a proper licence.

Police investigations led to the discovery of the defendant's house in Tungku which was raided at 9.15am on April 12, 2014. The police arrested the defendant and seized items believed to be used in the fitting of braces.

The defendant said she learned how to fit braces in 2005 in Madura. She started fitting them at the end of 2012 and as customers grew, she started taking photographs of the braces she fitted and uploaded them on Facebook.

She managed two different Facebook accounts, 'Braces Orthodontics Brunei' and 'Sop Chery Chery'.

Police investigations found that the defendant bought the equipment and tools for fitting the braces from Jakarta through a Facebook account 'Behel Shop'. She started using a proper dental chair in November 2013 after buying it on eBay.

The police had also seized her mobile phone and laptop which contained conversations and photographs related to her dental services.

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect.com

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