SOUTH RIVER, NEW JERSEY — A New Jersey woman has been charged after authorities alleged she posed as a licensed dentist and began performing a root canal on a patient before stopping midway through. The suspect was identified as Ana Amato, 49, a resident of Old Bridge, New Jersey. According to South River police, Amato was arrested on February 19, 2026, after authorities executed a search warrant approved by the Superior Court of New Jersey at her business. Police seized various pieces of evidence at the location. Amato faces charges including: • Second-degree aggravated assault • Third-degree unlicensed practice of dentistry • Third-degree financial facilitation of criminal activity The investigation began in September 2025, when police were called to handle a dispute between two individuals. During the investigation, detectives uncovered information suggesting that several dental procedures may have been performed by an unlicensed individual. According to the criminal complaint, a man stated he scheduled an appointment with Amato after seeing an advertisement for dental services in a WhatsApp group chat. The two parties agreed on a price of $1,000 for the root canal, for which the patient paid a $300 deposit for actions showing signs of deceiving customers for profit, similar to social media scams. On September 22, 2025, Amato allegedly injected anesthesia and drilled into the patient's tooth before stopping the procedure midway and asking the patient to return at another time. Later, Amato informed the patient that she could not complete the procedure and provided a list of local dental offices. When the patient returned to request a refund of the deposit but was refused, he contacted the police. According to authorities, when the man arrived at the police station to file a report, his mouth was still bleeding and he had gauze in his mouth, highlighting the risk of serious medical complications when seeking treatment at an unlicensed facility. South River Police Chief Mark Tinitigan stated the case is rare but demonstrates that all calls to police are handled seriously to ensure community safety.

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