VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – A Virginia Beach woman, Cristine Caro-Valencia, was arrested after being accused of practicing dentistry without a license in the building next to her husband's veterinary clinic.
According to the Virginia Beach Police Department, back in June, detectives started working with an anonymous source who said they had their teeth worked on at Cosmetica Dental Labs on Virginia Beach Boulevard.
The person complained of pain after having teeth drilled and pulled out, then eventually going to another dentist, according to the records.
According to court documents, Caro-Valencia and her husband are well-known in the Hispanic community. The records went on to say that the anonymous source claimed that she provided services to the Hispanic community without questioning the identity of the patients.
Law enforcement conducted surveillance of the business for months. In July, police searched trash Caro-Valencia allegedly brought out to the dumpster, and said they found medical needles, bloody napkins, mouth molds made of rubber, dental probes, gloves and other evidence.
During a regular inspection of the husband’s office, the VBPD, DEA and other law enforcement observed dental chairs, supplies, brochures, molds, dental cleaning tools, gauze and other items consistent with a dental practice in the building next to his, according to court records.
Law enforcement also said they allegedly saw bills for payments and notes written in Spanish.
There is no one named Cristine Caro-Valencia licensed in the state of Virginia for dentistry.
She was arrested on November 22, 2021.
We reached out to her lawyer Bob Morecock, who issued this statement to us: “No comment at this time and none allowed from her. As the saying goes, there are three sides to every story — please make sure you cover them all in this case.”
Caro-Valencia is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on February 11, 2022.
