Amateur dentists in Indonesia make a shady living

[ASEAN NOW Content Team]

 

Lower-income Indonesians who cannot afford certified practitioners choose unlicensed 'dental labourers.'

Putri Wulandari will never forget getting braces for her teeth from a roadside shop in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta.

The room was dark and gloomy, with a nasty bathroom and a worn-out recliner chair.
A man in a t-shirt was the only one who greeted her.

 

Wulandari isn't sure if the tools he used were sterile, but he didn't wear a surgical mask or latex gloves.

"It happened in a flash.
Wulandari, 22, told Al Jazeera that he simply asked her to choose the colours she wanted and then went straight for her teeth.

A trained dentist was out of the question for Wulandari, who had desired braces since high school.

"It would have cost roughly five million rupiahs ($348) if I had gone to a dentist or a clinic," she claimed.
"The dental assistant only charged me 200,000 rupiahs ($14)."

 

"Dental workers," or "tukang gigi," can be found tucked away in alleys and sidestreets throughout Indonesia's cities, typically advertising their services with gruesome posters depicting pearly whites and blood-red gums.

They target those with limited incomes and offer dental services at rock-bottom pricing.
Although some claim to have obtained non-medical training from dental worker unions, most practitioners are thought to be self-taught and without any recognised qualifications.

 

In Indonesia, its trading is lawful, albeit it is subject to some restrictions.
Practitioners must register their practise and get a "dental worker permit" from the local health authority, according to Ministry of Health requirements.
They are also only permitted to produce or fit dentures and are not allowed to do any other dental treatments.

The reality, on the other hand, is significantly less so.
Despite the lack of official statistics, unlicensed, low-cost dentistry practitioners are nearly everywhere in Indonesia.
Thousands of Instagram and Facebook accounts advertise services ranging from basic teeth extractions to aesthetic surgeries for those looking for a winning smile at a low cost.

 

Wulandari's teeth were crooked and misaligned as a result of her visit to an unregistered dental worker.

"My teeth were great before this, only a slight overbite," she explained.
"However, my teeth began to shift positions a year after he put the braces on me, and I was in a lot of discomfort."
I returned a few times, but he kept telling me that everything was fine."

Wulandari stated that she had no choice but to act on her own.

 

"I'd had enough. I couldn't stand it any longer."
"I decided to remove the braces myself, at home, with a nail cutter," she explained.

Wulandari, whose husband is a motorbike taxi driver, considered denouncing the practise to the police, only to find out that he had packed his belongings and fled.

 

Rifqie Al Haris has dealt with countless dental tragedies comparable to Wulandari's during the last five years.

In 2016, Al Haris, a 37-year-old dentist, launched a social media project called KorTuGi, which stands for "Korban Tukang Gigi," which translates to "Dental Worker's Victims" in Indonesian.

He shares cautionary photographs and videos of botched dental work done by unqualified practitioners on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
The images aren't for the faint of heart.

 

Al Haris told Al Jazeera, "The goal is to promote public awareness about dental health and the dangers of unlicensed dentistry."
"Some people still believe that seeing a dentist or dental clinic is only necessary when they have a severe toothache.
It is also perceived as being costly, which is why many people seek out informal dental providers when they require dental care."

"In some situations, I discovered, it resulted in death," he continued.

Al Haris has publicised over 900 incidents of failed dental operations on social media.
He claims that demand for some treatments has risen dramatically in recent years, owing to the influence of social media stars and celebrities.

 

"In the past, most of these cases included failing dentures.
However, in recent years, we've seen more illicit practitioners exploiting the cosmetic dental market by selling aesthetic treatments like braces, veneers, tooth whitening, or buck teeth to young people," he said.
"They even employed influencers on social media to promote their services."

Many people who fall prey to unethical dentists see dental work as a symbol of prestige and wealth that would otherwise only be available at exorbitant prices, according to Al Haris.

"It's no longer a medical necessity; it's a fashion statement," he explained.
"Some people are willing to go to any length to achieve a status symbol."