Illegal Dentist Extracted 10 Teeth Without Anesthesia, Authorities Say

Authorities say a Florida man has been charged with practicing illegal dentistry after he extracted 10 teeth without anesthesia and left another patient with health complications.

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The Bradenton Herald, an area newspaper, reports that authorities said Robert “Robbie” Rheinlander, of Manatee, Fla. also made dentures and performed exams in his home or at patients’ homes. He convinced patients to pay for his services by telling them he had been a dentist in South Carolina prior to relocating to Florida. The problem, authorities say, is that he never was licensed as a Dentist in South Carolina.

Rheinlander worked there as a licensed dental technician from February 2004 until March 2006, the Bradenton Herald reports Authorities say that as a dental technician, Rheinlander was disciplined for his work and he did not have any Florida medical or dental licenses.

Authorities were led to Rheinlander, the Bradenton Herald reports, when a husband and wife reported his work to a detective. The couple was referred to Rheinlander by a friend, and Rheinlander informed them that he had been a dentist with a South Carolina practice. The couple paid Rheinlander in cash to extract a tooth for the wife, which he did, leaving a piece of the tooth in place. The resulting health complications prompted the couple to look into Rheinlander’s background and discover that he was, in fact, not a licensed dentist.

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The couple led authorities to a second patient, according to the Bradenton Herald. This man told authorities that Rheinlander had extracted 10 of his teeth without anesthesia, and also had made him dentures.

Authorities say a detective working undercover was able to arrange treatment with Rheinlander, leading to his arrest on Wednesday. He was released on bail Thursday, according to the Bradenton Herald, after being charged with practicing dentistry without a license.