Lacked Licenses : Bite Put on 2 Accused of Illegal Dental Work

Two North Hollywood men were charged Thursday with practicing dentistry without a license, including subjecting a woman to hours of agony while they struggled to remove a dental mold that had hardened in her mouth.

Oscar Moran, 22, and his brother, Marvin Moran, 23, were charged with three and two counts, respectively, of practicing dentistry without a license. Each violation is punishable by six months in jail and a $3,000 fine.

Evidence against the pair was gathered by police detectives posing as patients, City Atty. James K. Hahn said. The brothers are scheduled for arraignment March 28 in Los Angeles Municipal Court.

Oscar Moran, reached by telephone at his home, said he learned dentistry in his native El Salvador but declined further comment until he could consult an attorney. Marvin Moran refused comment.

The investigation was launched after a Sylmar woman complained to authorities about the treatment she received from Oscar Moran in January, Hahn said. The woman said she went to the apartment, which Moran was using as a dental office, complaining of a toothache.

Fee Quoted

“After examining the woman, Moran told her that she needed four crowns and that his fee would be $500,” the city attorney said. “She gave him a check for $200 as a down payment, and he began work.

“After giving the woman eight injections of a pain-killer, Moran pulled two teeth--a front tooth and a molar--and drilled four others. Then he used several different molds in unsuccessful attempts to get an impression of her front teeth,” Hahn said.

Hahn said the woman told investigators that she repeatedly questioned Moran about the treatment and complained of pain. Moran replied, according to the woman, “I know what I’m doing.”

“Moran finally put a hot plastic mold over her front teeth in another attempt to get an impression and left the room,” Hahn said. “By the time he got back, the plastic had hardened and he couldn’t get it off.

“Moran, along with his wife and sister-in-law, who also were in the apartment, hammered on the mold and struggled for an hour to remove it. Meanwhile, the pain-killer had worn off and the woman was in agony.”

Finally, according to Hahn, Moran phoned his brother, Marvin, a dental lab technician.

“He came to the apartment and worked for another hour before finally getting the mold off the victim’s teeth,” Hahn said.

Estimate Given

The woman is in need of dental work to repair the damage and has been told by a legitimate dentist that it will cost $3,000, Hahn said, adding that his office will seek to require the Morans to reimburse the woman.

Deputy City Atty. Ruth Kwan, who is prosecuting the case, said that an appointment book seized by investigators shows Oscar Moran had more than 50 patients, most of them Latinos. The woman who complained to authorities had heard about the dental practice from others, she said.