Yukon woman faces charges of allegedly using forged permit to pose as dental assistant

The state has charged a Yukon woman with practicing dentistry without a license after she allegedly worked for more than a year as a fake dental assistant in Oklahoma City.

Carla Joy Dickenson, 45, also has been charged with forgery.

According to an affidavit filed by an Oklahoma State Board of Dentistry investigator, Dickenson was first hired at Affordable Dentures and Implants in 2022, and then began working for a dentist, Dr. Heather Cox, a few months later. During her employment at both locations, the investigator said Dickenson submitted a forged permit in order to prove her credentials.

Officials launched an investigation in October after Dickenson applied to Integris Health using the allegedly forged document. Integris was unable to verify its authenticity and notified authorities.

After receiving the complaint, a Board of Dentistry investigator visited Cox's office to inspect Dickenson's permit where he immediately recognized it as a fake. The document had the wrong color state seal, the font was different from legitimate documents and the permit number was clearly inaccurate, he wrote in an affidavit.

When confronted, Dickenson told the investigator that she previously worked in dentistry eight or nine years ago but let her permit lapse. She claimed that Affordable Dentures and Implants never checked her permit before hiring her and allowing her to sit chairside during dental appointments. During that time, she collected radiographs of patients and helped with denture adjustments inside patients' mouths. While working with a dentist, Dickenson said she also assisted with administering anesthesia.

According to the affidavit, she admitted to using another person's permit to create her own fake document.

Acquiring a real dental assistant permit is relatively easy, and requires a $50 payment to the Oklahoma State Board of Dentistry. A dental assistant can also apply to enhance their permit, which allows them to conduct several additional procedures that include the use of radiation and anesthesia.

Susan Rogers, executive director and general counsel for the Board of Dentistry, said practitioners are responsible for ensuring their employees are properly licensed. However, there's no requirement that they verify each person's status with the state licensing board, which is as easy as checking an online database.

Rogers encourages patients to check online to make sure their dentistry professionals have the appropriate license. You can do so online at the Board of Dentistry's website.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Yukon woman charged with unlicensed dentistry