Man Charged With Unlicensed Dentistry

Addressing what a deputy city attorney has described as “a very prevalent problem” in areas where few people have health insurance, officials charged a Panorama City man Thursday with practicing dentistry without a license.

The city attorney’s office said it has filed a criminal misdemeanor count against Jose Pablo Giron, 47.

Giron was reportedly caught in a sting operation conducted by undercover investigators of the state Board of Dental Examiners at a dental office near MacArthur Park.

Responding to several complaints that an unlicensed person was practicing dentistry, a Board of Dental Examiners investigator went to the office April 16 posing as a patient with pain in one of his molars.

After Giron reportedly attempted twice to put his fingers in the investigator’s mouth, the investigator identified himself and made the arrest.

Deputy City Atty. Don Kass, head of the city attorney’s Consumer Protection Unit, said the facility had identifying signs and dental office equipment, apparently left behind by a previous occupant who was a dentist.

“Because you have people without health insurance who can’t afford what would be regular costs, you have a lot of scam artists out there,” said Kass, who is handling the case.

“They hold themselves out as doctors or dentists, sometimes telling potential patients they practiced in another country.”

Giron is scheduled for arraignment July 31.

If found guilty, he faces a possible six months in jail and/or a fine of $200 to $3,000.