The Arizona Board of Dental Examiners was slow to take action against a case of unlicensed dentistry despite complaints, according to a June 26 report from AZ Family.
AZ Family recently reviewed a dozen cases of individuals who posed as doctors and dental professionals in the state.
In one case, a man running a dental laboratory was caught performing unlicensed dentistry. The board investigated Tom Elam in 2021 and concluded that there was no indication that he was performing dentistry. However, the Apache County Attorney’s Office charged Mr. Elam in 2024 with practicing unlicensed dentistry and sentenced him to four months in jail.
AZ Family also found that the board has not complied with a new law requiring health boards to verify complaints of unlicensed providers, refer these cases to county attorneys or the attorney general’s office, and post the names of unlicensed providers on their website.
Ryan Edmonson, executive director of the state dental board, told AZ Family that the board is limited in how it can respond to cases of unlicensed dentistry. He also cited a lack of resources for why the board has not yet complied with the new requirements.
