Uncertified dentists may have a general understanding of how a real dentist would treat an issue and offers their services at a discounted rate, but they do not have the years of training necessary to understand the structure of the mouth and teeth, or the experience necessary to customise treatment for each patient's situation and health needs. Plus, fake dentists lack the right equipment and are not skilled in maintaining a sanitised, safe environment for patient care. They usually offer their services on the street, hotel rooms, self-designated beauty saloons and private residence without a permanent premise. If you're still unsure, you may search online for DPIMS (http://dpims.moh.gov.my) which stands for the Dental Practitioners' Information Management System.

As mentioned previously, fake dentists are not trained in a dental university for 5 long years about the oral cavity and principles of treatment. This leads to treatment that is not biologically correct, which may lead to severe gum disease, loosening of teeth, severe sensitivity or even teeth that eventually would need to be extracted due to incorrect treatment. Another way how fake dentistry is harmful to patients is that the equipment and materials used is not regulated by any governing body. Hence, the equipment and materials may be bought online or may even be a counterfeit product that ends up in your mouth. Service that offer bracers may end up being fake which may cause complications such as choking hazard, poisoning, shifting of teeth, tooth loss, tooth decay, tooth discolouration and foul breath. Some fake dentists don't even wear gloves, and most do not practice the strict infection control that licensed dentists must adhere to for the patient's safety. Many diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV may spread due to improper sterilisation of equipment used in the oral cavity.

Immediately seek help from a registered dentist to assess and repair, or undo the damage done. Do not worry about what the registered dentist may say or think, as they are trained to assist each and every patient without judgment. At Q & M, we have practitioners that are trained to tackle all kinds of complications that might've arised from fake dentistry.