PETALING JAYA: An Indonesian woman has been jailed for two years, and fined RM25,000 for offering teeth whitening services without a dental licence.
She was the first person to be charged and convicted under the amended Dental Act which came into force in January, the health ministry said.
The woman had operated a beauty salon in Bandar Puteri Puchong, Selangor, and was caught applying dental veneers on a female customer when the raid was carried out.
Dental veneers are used in a form of cosmetic treatment for those with chipped teeth, gaps between teeth, or misshapen teeth, and for those with stained teeth.
The woman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years’ jail, RM25,000 fine or a year’s jail in default.
The ministry said the judge had made the sentencing based on the deputy public prosecutor’s argument that the public should be made aware that bad dental practices by unauthorised people was a danger to the community.
“The health ministry remains committed towards curbing illegal dental practices to ensure that safe dental treatments and practices are offered to the community,” the health ministry’s senior director (dental health) Noormi Othman said.