Woman pretending to be dental hygienist worked on patients in California, officials say

A woman faces felony charges after being accused of masquerading as a licensed dental hygienist in California’s Bay Area, prosecutors said.

Elizabeth “Mina” Larijani, also known as Elizabeth Garcia Costilla, worked at or attempted to work at 10 different dental spractices between 2015 and 2020, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

At those practices, Larijani misrepresented herself as a licensed hygienist, often by using the stolen identities of actual licensed hygienists. When dentists called her credentials into question, she would move onto the next office, the release said.

The Dental Hygiene Board of California began investigating her after receiving a complaint in 2018 that she was misrepresenting her credentials, the Mercury News reported.

She worked at various dental offices in San Jose and Campbell, California, according to the release.

Investigators from the district attorney’s office recently found Larijani in Glendale, Arizona, where she was working as a dental hygienist, the news release said. She was extradited to San Jose for her arraignment and held on a $40,000 bail, according to the release.

Larijani faces 16 felony and misdemeanor counts of tax fraud, identity theft and practicing dental hygiene work without a license, the Mercury News reported.

To become licensed in California, dental hygienists “must apply with the Dental Hygiene Board of California, complete an approved educational program, and pass both written and clinical examinations,” the release said.

Licensing requirements are similar in Arizona, according to the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners’ website.

“The last thing someone needs to be worrying about is whether the person cleaning their teeth, or using anesthetics, is licensed to do that work,” Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in the release. “We are grateful to the Dental Board investigators who brought these violations to our attention, and to the law enforcement agencies in Arizona who assisted us in locating the defendant.”

Officials ask that anyone with information that could help investigators locate people who “suffered physical harm as a result of the allegations in this case” contact the district attorney’s office at 408-792-2567.

The Dental Hygiene Board of California did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.

This story was originally published May 17, 2022 at 7:02 PM with the headline "Woman pretending to be dental hygienist worked on patients in California, officials say."