HOUSTON – A 43-year-old woman is accused of practicing dentistry without a license out of a Spring-area home after a bust by the Houston Police Department’s Major Offenders Division.
Briceida Cancino was arrested Wednesday evening at the home off Springwolf Drive.
HPD called it a “proactive investigation” after receiving a complaint from the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners.
According to court records, Cancino was found to have several items used by dentists during the arrests.
She is out of jail on a personal bond and due in court Friday morning.
Cancino is not the first to face this type of felony charge in Harris County in recent months.
Back in July, KPRC 2 reported on a Rhode Island man who followed an Instagram ad to Houston and ended up with what he called a botched veneer job. Jadan Miorke was later charged.
Then in August, Harris County prosecutors charged 41-year-old Juanetta Solomon after a woman saw a TikTok video advertising a cheap veneer procedure.
According to court records, Solomon used a fake name and did the work, before that victim ended up with pain, bleeding, difficulty sleeping, and a tooth even came out.
In October, KPRC 2 covered the case of Angelica Vivas, who was accused of offering dental work to an undercover officer after a botched root canal procedure.
That victim told KPRC 2′s Corley Peel she had to go to a real dentist after, who told her she was left with a broken bone. She also had sensitivity on one side of her face.
All four of these defendants are out on bond.
Licensed dentists urge patients to look up their dentist through the state board’s website or check for a member of the American Dental Association.
And while you may see a “veneer tech” advertising on social media, that is not a recognized, licensed job in the state of Texas. Under the law, any drilling on your teeth should be done by a licensed dentist.