People having dental veneers or other treatments should always book an appointment with a properly-accredited practitioner.
This was the advice widely given this week, when a woman was prosecuted for fraud after working as a dentist for nine years despite having no qualifications.
Vinisha Sharma, 37, claimed she had a Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree from India, but had actually dropped out of the course before completing it.
She used bogus paperwork to get a job at the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust in 2000 and has since worked in top positions at a range of other institutions.
Her deception only recently came to light and Ms Sharma has now been told she faces jail for carrying out procedures like dental implants without a licence.
Prosecuting, Andrew Evans said: “Had the hospitals known, they would never have employed her.”
This follows a similar case in Bristol earlier this month in which Samuel Harnarayan was prosecuted by the General Dental Council for claiming to be a registered dentist when he was not.
