María del Carmen Fontaine-Uliver, a 33-year-old Cuban resident of Miami Gardens, was taken into custody on Thursday by Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office officers. She was caught performing dental procedures without a license in a home located on the 2400 block of Northwest 90th Street.
According to reports from Local 10, the investigation was initiated after the Florida Department of Health received an anonymous tip that identified a man named Rolando Quintana García as practicing unlicensed dentistry from his residence.
Detectives traced a business registered under Quintana García's name: Smiles Everywhere LLC, which remains active in state records until March 2025. He is listed as the registered agent, with Fontaine-Uliver serving as the manager of the business.
During the undercover investigation, officers discovered an Instagram account linked to Smiles Everywhere and contacted Quintana García via WhatsApp to arrange a consultation for dental veneers, as noted in the arrest report.
Quintana García set up an appointment for two undercover detectives for that Thursday.
Unlicensed Dental Office Discovery
Upon their arrival at the residence, the agents were led to a waiting room adjacent to what they described as a "fully operational dental office."
There, they observed Fontaine-Uliver actively performing dental work on a patient seated in a reclined chair, instructing her to "let her know if she felt any pain or discomfort so anesthesia could be administered," according to the report.
Investigators immediately intervened and detained her.
After being read her Miranda rights in Spanish, Fontaine-Uliver agreed to speak without an attorney and admitted that she "holds a license in Cuba, but not in the United States," and that she was conducting a dental crown procedure on the patient.
Legal Consequences and Prior Cases
A subsequent search of the residence unveiled a fully equipped dental office, including six vials of Xylocaine, a local dental anesthetic that requires a prescription. The vials were seized as evidence; authorities confirmed that Fontaine-Uliver is not licensed to possess or administer this medication.
Authorities verified that Fontaine-Uliver does hold an active Florida license as a dental radiographer, allowing her to take X-rays under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist, but not to perform procedures independently.
Quintana García, on the other hand, holds no license to practice dentistry in Florida, according to the state Department of Health.
Fontaine-Uliver was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and faces charges of practicing unlicensed dentistry and possession of prescription drugs with intent to sell or distribute.
As of the article's close, the Cuban national remained detained at the correctional center with bail "pending establishment," and it was unclear whether Quintana García would also face charges in the case.
This incident is not an isolated one in South Florida.
In September, Emely Martínez was arrested in Pinellas Park for offering unlicensed dental veneers using homemade materials, marking her second arrest for the same offense within a year.
In March, Eduardo Rivero Ríos, a 61-year-old Cuban, was arrested in Houston for conducting extractions and dental cleanings without a license from his apartment, also claiming to have credentials in Cuba and Venezuela but not in the United States.
In Florida, practicing dentistry without a license is classified as a third-degree felony under Chapter 466 of the state statutes, carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Understanding Unlicensed Dental Practices in Florida
What are the consequences of practicing dentistry without a license in Florida?
Practicing dentistry without a license in Florida is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
What prompted the investigation into Fontaine-Uliver?
The investigation began after the Florida Department of Health received an anonymous complaint about unlicensed dental practices being conducted by Rolando Quintana García.
What is Fontaine-Uliver's current legal status?
As of the latest update, Fontaine-Uliver remains detained with bail pending establishment, facing charges of unlicensed dental practice and possession of prescription medication with intent to distribute.