Unlicensed Dentist Charged With Driving Patients to Tijuana for 'Low-Cost' Dental Care
Officials say a formerly licensed dentist took a commission in exchange for bringing patients into Mexico for dental implants.
A formerly licensed California dentist is facing criminal charges after he allegedly drove patients across the border to Tijuana for “low price” illegal dental work.
After his license was revoked in 2005, officials say Robert Mansueto, 63, of Coronado, CA, continued practicing dentistry under an alias: Bob Franco, DDS.
According to ABC10, Mansueto owns a dental company, AmerOss, and worked for a tax consulting company for doctors and dentists. He is accused of recruiting patients for dentists in Tijuana and receiving commissions for his assistance.
Officers allege Mansueto was meeting patients at his Coronado home and driving them to Tijuana. Another dentist would meet them at the Tijuana location to help Mansueto perform dental implant surgery.
Unhappy patients approached the media with “complaints about substandard work”.
One patient told ABC 10 “her mouth became infected and one of her implants fell out”. She also accused Mansueto of piercing one of her sinus cavities.
Two dental board investigators questioned Mansueto after an investigator posed undercover as a patient.
Officials arrested Mansueto at the San Ysidro port of entry and charged him with practicing dentistry under a false name and without a license and treating the sick/afflicted without a certificate. Performing surgery on patients without a medical license is his most serious offense.
Mansueto has pleaded not guilty to all charges — his next hearing is scheduled for July 18.
He is in Central San Diego County Jail, and his bail is set at $200,000.
