FDA files five lawsuits against ‘fake’ dentists

AMMAN — The Jordan Dental Association (JDA) on Tuesday filed five lawsuits against fraudulent dentist offices.

According to JDA President Azem Qadoumi, the association has detected 30 cases involving individuals who practised dentistry without a licence. 

The JDA discovered these “fake dentists” through monitoring advertisements on social media platforms for clinics offering “suspiciously” reduced prices, Qadoumi told The Jordan Times. 

“A number of these fraudsters have criminal records, and some don’t even carry a high school diploma, let alone a medical degree of any kind,” he added. 

 “They endanger people’s lives for profit, and often take advantage of those who cannot afford standard care,” Qadoumi continued. 

The JDA president urged patients in need of dental care to only resort to individuals who carry a medical degree in dentistry and a licence to practise; “even dental technicians and nurses aren’t allowed to perform dental procedures, no matter how minor”. 

Unwitting patients who turn to anyone other than licensed and specialised medical professionals for dental procedures can suffer costly or even life-threatening consequences, he said. 

 The association received complaints from several patients who underwent a routine procedure that resulted in infection, Qadoumi said, adding that others alleged that their teeth were “completely destroyed”. 

The JDA aims to intensify oversight and monitoring efforts, especially over social media platforms, to curb misleading and unauthorised advertisements, he said. 

Even advertisements from licensed dentists must be approved and authorised by the association before they are published, Qadoumi added. 

Moreover, a dental clinic should be named after its owner or the licensed dentist operating it, he added, noting that people should be cautious of clinics with “unusual” names. 

Patients who have concerns about a certain clinic or dentist are urged to exercise caution and contact the association to confirm that the dentist is licensed, he said. 

“Practising any form of medicine without a licence is a crime punishable by law,” he said. 

The JDA aims to maintain the reputation of medicine in Jordan, and “most importantly, the safety of patients”, Qadoumi added. 

“We are placing our trust in the legal system’s ability to put an end to criminals who take advantage of this noble profession to make money without taking others’ safety into consideration,” he continued. 

There are currently around 11,000 dentists in Jordan registered at the JDA, according to the JDA president. 

“The association will file 25 more lawsuits in the upcoming few days,” Qadoumi said.