Malaysian authorities have recently stepped up their crackdown on unlicensed dentists, uncovering several cases of fake dentists practicing medicine. Many of those arrested were previously dental assistants, laboratory technicians, or even taught themselves dental techniques by watching online videos, and then pretended to be professional dentists to provide services.
Mohd Haikal Muhamad Halil, dean and associate professor of the School of Dentistry at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM), said that these people are often driven by ignorance, greed and the desire to be praised, and mistakenly believe that hands-on skills can replace formal education and medical training.
“These uncertified people take on dental professional roles, which are extremely risky. They lack basic medical knowledge and can cause serious infections and even permanent disfigurement,” he said.
As demand for cosmetic treatments such as teeth whitening, veneers and corrections surges, illegal dentists have taken advantage of the situation. They attract customers with low prices because they do not have to pay for licenses and do not have professional equipment and certification qualifications.
At the same time, these fake dentists are good at using social media to create a professional image, such as wearing white robes, setting up fake clinic backgrounds, and even posting fake customer reviews.
Associate Professor Haikal pointed out that these people usually perform the surgery in private homes, rented houses, beauty salons and even public toilets. He stressed that dental surgery is far more than just filling and extracting teeth. It requires systematic knowledge of anatomy, pharmacology, microbiology and patient safety.
“In formal institutions such as IIUM, dental students need to undergo at least five years of course training and complete rigorous postgraduate internships after graduation before they can practice,” he added.
One of the cases involved a 76-year-old man, Law Chin Min (also known as Law Kim Gu), who was fined RM66,000 by the District Court for illegally providing dental services in Kulim, Kedah.
The court pointed out that he violated the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 and the Dental Act 2018. Each charge carries a maximum fine of RM300,000 or six years’ imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by Izwan Abdul Hamid, an official from the Ministry of Health. During the raid, Low was found consulting with customers at his residence on Jalan Padang Senai, and dental instruments and related materials were seized on the spot. If he fails to pay the fine, he will face 7 months in prison.
In another case, a woman in her 20s was arrested for practicing medicine without a license at a clinic in Taman Puchong Prima, Selangor. She had been illegally providing dental services for some time.
In addition, the Pahang Health Department also raided an illegal private dental clinic in Kelantan. The clinic has been operating in a village house since 2020 and is run by a young woman, providing services such as fitting braces.
The relevant authorities are cracking down on unlicensed medical practices and urge the public not to trust low-cost medical advertisements on social platforms and to confirm whether the clinic and doctors have legal qualifications to protect their health and safety.