On Tuesday, Santa Clara County prosecutors announced the arrest of a 50-year-old woman suspected of illegally posing as a dental hygienist in the South Bay for years, according to KTVU.
According to the district attorney’s office, Elizabeth “Mina” Larijani faced felony charges for working at and attempting to work at more than ten dental offices between 2015 and 2020. Investigators suspected she worked fraudulently as a dental hygienist in San Jose and Campbell.
Investigators tracked down Larijani, also known as Elizabeth Garcia Costilla, in Glendale, Arizona. They claimed she was functioning as a dental hygienist there, but it’s uncertain whether she had a legitimate job in Arizona.
Larijani was extradited to San Jose on Friday for her initial hearing, where a judge set bail at $40,000. On Monday, she was released from jail after posting bail.
To practice as a registered dental hygienist in California, one must finish an approved academic program, pass both written and clinical exams, and apply for a full licence with the California Dental Hygiene Board.
According to investigators, Larijani regularly forged her qualifications by using the false identification of a licensed dental hygienist.
They stated that if businesses queried her qualifications, she would move to another dental office to avoid the situation.
“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,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “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.”
Larijani’s next court appearance was set for June 13.
