Woman faces new charges in phony dentist case

New charges are being brought against a woman who allegedly claimed to be a dentist in the Bronx. Valbona Yzeiraj is facing multiple new charges, including second-degree assault, after turning herself

News 12 Staff

Jan 13, 2016, 2:32 AM

Updated 3,056 days ago

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Woman faces new charges in phony dentist case
New charges are being brought against a woman who allegedly claimed to be a dentist in the Bronx.
Valbona Yzeiraj is facing multiple new charges, including second-degree assault, after turning herself in to detectives Tuesday morning.
Yzeiraj was charged with practicing dentistry without a license in April of last year.
The woman who allegedly called herself "Dr. Val" is accused of taking a patient who found her through the 1-800 Dentist service in April 2013.
Prosecutors say she told the patient he needed a root canal.
"Throughout that time, the victim experienced excruciating pain and the indictments allege that he suffered serious physical injury," says Assistant District Attorney Patrick McCadden.
Yzeiraj allegedly claimed to have had dental training in her native country but was not licensed in the United States.
Additionally, Yzeiraj is accused of treating patients where she worked as an office manager at a practice on Independence Avenue in Riverdale. Investigators say she did so when the dentist was not there.
Even with the added charges, her attorney says he is confident moving forward with his client's case.
"My client denies not only all the charges that were previously brought against her, but these too," Yan Katsnelson says. "We think these are all fabrications and I think once my office conducts the full investigation, we'll be able to prove that not only to the prosecutor, but also to the court and hopefully have these charges dismissed."
Katsnelson says he is not anticipating any other additional charges against Yzeiraj.


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