Fake Dental Assistant In Middletown Twp. Faces 36 Months In Prison

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA —A Levittown woman faces up to 36 months in prison for impersonating a dental assistant and performing functions in which she was unlicensed, authorities said.

Rose Calese Horne, 44, of Levittown, pleaded guilty to felony prohibited use of a radiation source, and misdemeanor impersonating a holder of a professional or occupational license, and was sentenced recently by a Bucks County Judge, State Attorney General Dave Sunday announced.

Horne will serve 18 to 36 months in prison for making false representations about her certifications, which enabled her to perform advanced procedures on patients.

Horne claimed to be licensed to perform expanded functions, such as installing crowns and bridges, filing down fillings, administering local anesthesia, and assisting with root canal surgeries.

During Horne’s time at one of the dental practices, she took X-rays of five patients, even though she was not trained or licensed to perform X-rays.

Horne was hired by three different dentists in Bucks County between October 2022 and October 2023, while lying about her qualifications. An investigation conducted by the Office of Attorney General uncovered that Horne was not licensed, as she claimed, by the PA State Board of Dentistry.

“The defendant put patients at risk by performing procedures for which she was unqualified and untrained,” Sunday said. “Licenses and certifications exist for a reason — to assure employers and patients the care being provided is legitimate and safe.”