By: Tamara Morrigan Catada

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) apprehended a woman for illegal dentistry practice in Lucena City.

Earlier, the NBI Lucena District Office (NBI-LUCDO) received information regarding a certain "Tita Cosa" practicing dentistry without a clinic. Reports say she does home service by treating patients in their respective houses. Aside from tooth extraction, she made complete dentures and did partial dentures removable for some of her patients.

Upon confirmation of the said reports, NBI operatives conducted an entrapment operation. The suspect was caught in the act while receiving marked money from the poseur patient and was about to administer the anesthesia preparatory to tooth extraction.

"Tita Cosa" was identified as Blanca Perjes Capisonda-Lobusta, a Barangay Marketview, Lucena resident. Seized from her were dental equipment, including a mouth mirror, dental aspirating syringe, topical anesthetic agent, licodine carpule, dental forceps, cow horn dental forceps, surgical hand instrument, short needles, and local anesthetic agent. 

Meanwhile, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) certified that  Capisonda-Lobusta is not a holder of a valid certificate of registration and a professional identification card in Dentistry. Furthermore, her name is not included in the roster of registered dentists in the Philippines. 

It was also revealed that the suspect was previously arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on March 16, 2021, for the same offense in which she was under probation.

Capisonda-Lobusta was presented for inquest proceedings before the Prosecutor's Office for violating Republic Act No. 9484, or the Philippine Dental Act of 2007.