Adames v. Velasquez

19 Misc. 3d 881
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedApril 1, 2008
StatusPublished

This text of 19 Misc. 3d 881 (Adames v. Velasquez) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Adames v. Velasquez, 19 Misc. 3d 881 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2008).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Charles J. Markey, J.

[883]*883Education Law § 6602 states: “Only a person licensed or otherwise authorized to practice under this article shall practice dentistry or use the title ‘dentist’.” The unique question posed by this decision, not encountered previously in New York’s case law, is whether the plaintiff, who allegedly sustained injuries to his teeth by the actions of an unlicensed dentist or imposter and who waited almost six years before bringing any action, can state a cause of action on a legal theory that carries a six-year statute of limitations.

The defendants have moved for an order (1) dismissing the complaint pursuant to CPLR 3211 (a) (5) and 214-a on statute of limitations grounds, and (2) dismissing the complaint pursuant to CPLR 3211 (a) (7) and 3013 for failure to state a cause of action.

The power of states to regulate professions is well grounded. The United States Supreme Court declared: “[T]here is no right to practice medicine which is not subordinate to the police power of the states” (Lambert v Yellowley, 272 US 581, 596 [1926], quoted with approval in Armstrong v North Carolina State Bd. of Dental Examiners, 129 NC App 153, 159, 499 SE2d 462, 468 [1998] [reversing trial court, appellate court upheld suspension of dentist who hired another dentist who was unlicensed to practice in the state of North Carolina]). By amendments that became effective during 2007, New York fortified article 133 of the Education Law, governing “Dentistry and Dental Hygiene,” in several important and progressive ways. The article sets forth an elaborate definition of dentistry (Education Law § 6601), imposes requirements to obtain a license as a dentist in New York (Education Law § 6604), mandates 60 hours of continuing education for dentists in each triennial period (Education Law § 6604-a), defines the practice of dental hygiene (Education Law § 6606) and provides the requirements for getting a license as a dental hygienist (Education Law § 6609), defines the practice of certified dental assisting (Education Law § 6608) and imposes requirements for certification as a certified dental assistant (Education Law § 6608-b), and, by statute, immunizes persons and entities from a defamation action regarding the qualifications of a dentist, or lack thereof, when reported to a governmental society, hospital, or dented society, unless both falsehood and malicious intent can be demonstrated (Education Law § 6611 [9]). The overall policy, gauged by a plain reading of the sections in Education Law article 133, reveals an intent to protect the public from bodily harm. The Legislature obviously saw a need [884]*884to strengthen the laws in order to protect the public from the unbounded rapacity of ruthless individuals, who, without skill and license in the profession of dentistry, would go so far as to imperil a patient’s life and to destroy his or her teeth. As ably stated by the court in Nugent v Stokes (313 Ky 131, 133, 230 SW2d 609, 610 [1950]): “It is a well-known fact that modern methods of treatment of those needing the services of a dentist require great skill and those entrusted with this skill should be qualified for the purpose, and it is the intention of the statutes to require this.”

Some skeptical and cynical commentators question licensing requirements. In a recent opinion column published in the Wall Street Journal, a well-respected newspaper known for promoting conservative, free enterprise policies, two scholars, Charles Wheelan and Morris Kleiner, state: “Licensure has . . . basic problems. First, any kind of regulation makes it harder to enter a profession; that’s the point of it. But restricting entry raises the cost of service, which means that some people will either skip the service or try to do it themselves.” (We Don’t Need a Mortgage Guild, Wall Street Journal, Mar. 24, 2008, at A14, col 3.)

A study of dentists by Morris Kleiner and Robert Kudrle of the University of Minnesota in 2000 found that more stringent state licensing requirements had no impact on the dental health of a national sample of patients (Air Force recruits), or of the general population — but it did raise prices and the earnings of dentists. States with more rigorous requirements may have better dentists, but some people cannot afford to have their teeth fixed (id.).

Indeed, in the present case, plaintiff Jose Adames maintains that he was trying to save money when he hired defendant Rafael Nino Velasquez, whom he believed to be a licensed dentist, to work on his teeth. Even aside from his sworn affidavit in opposition to the defendants’ motion to dismiss, Adames’s recitals in the complaint are deemed to be true for purposes of this motion to dismiss (Nonnon v City of New York, 9 NY3d 825 [2007]; Wieder v Skala, 80 NY2d 628, 631 [1992]; Rovello v Orofino Realty Co., 40 NY2d 633 [1976]; see Operative Cake Corp. v Nassour, 21 AD3d 1020 [2d Dept 2005]).

Adames allegedly met defendant Velasquez prior to November 15, 2001, who falsely represented that he was a dentist. Upon learning that Adames had dental problems, Velasquez offered his services at a rate discounted from that charged by his wife, [885]*885defendant Dr. Ketly Nino, sued herein as Kelly Nino and Kathy Nino, who is a dentist, provided the plaintiff went to the office at night. On or about November 15, 2001, Adames went to the office located at 184-02 Hillside Avenue, Jamaica, New York, where he agreed to pay Velasquez in cash at each visit for all services then provided. On that evening and for several evenings thereafter, defendant Velasquez filled cavities in about 11 of the plaintiffs teeth, receiving cash for his work. Velasquez must have thought highly of his own abilities because, according to Adames, he took no X rays of Adames’s teeth before undertaking the massive dental work.

After experiencing pain in the teeth that defendant Velasquez had treated, Adames sought care from several dentists, one of whom informed him that Velasquez had filled the cavities improperly. Adames’s teeth are sensitive to hot and cold temperatures, and licensed dentists have reportedly subsequently advised him that he may lose his teeth as a consequence of Velasquez’s shoddy dental work. In or about October 2004, Adames’s neighbors advised him that defendant Velasquez is not a dentist and does not hold a license to practice dentistry. Defendant Velasquez is a lab technician. Defendant Nino and defendant Dental Care, who employed defendant Velasquez, permitted him to falsely represent himself to be a licensed dentist.

Defendant Ketly F. Nino, D.D.S. submitted an affidavit in support of the motion to dismiss, swearing that Adames never received any dental care or treatment from her, Velasquez, or Dental Care. To reiterate the point, on January 28, 2008, over a month after the submission of the motion papers, defense counsel sent to the court the affidavit of defendant Velasquez, also vigorously denying Adames’s allegations and denying that Adames received any dental care or treatment from him or any of the other defendants.

On or about May 23, 2007, about 5V2 years after Velasquez performed his dental “services,” Adames commenced this action against defendants Velasquez, Nino, and Dental Care, allegedly a partnership or a corporation. The complaint is an example of poor draftsmanship, and plaintiffs counsel, in opposing this motion to dismiss, rather than react defensively, commendably concedes the point.

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Related

Positive Software v. New Century Mortgage
476 F.3d 278 (Fifth Circuit, 2007)
Lambert v. Yellowley
272 U.S. 581 (Supreme Court, 1926)
Armstrong v. North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners
499 S.E.2d 462 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1998)
State Dental Council & Examining Board v. Pollock
318 A.2d 910 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1974)
Simpson v. Hubert
193 N.W.2d 68 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1971)
Lama Holding Co. v. Smith Barney Inc.
668 N.E.2d 1370 (New York Court of Appeals, 1996)
Nonnon v. City of New York
874 N.E.2d 720 (New York Court of Appeals, 2007)
Batty v. Arizona State Dental Board
112 P.2d 870 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1941)
Brown v. Shyne
151 N.E. 197 (New York Court of Appeals, 1926)
Harris v. Graham
1926 OK 193 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1926)
Lewis v. Kentucky State Board of Dental Examiners
300 S.W.2d 241 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1957)
Tulloch v. Haselo
218 A.D. 313 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1926)
Rovello v. Orofino Realty Co.
357 N.E.2d 970 (New York Court of Appeals, 1976)
McDermott v. Torre
437 N.E.2d 1108 (New York Court of Appeals, 1982)
Nykorchuck v. Henriques
577 N.E.2d 1026 (New York Court of Appeals, 1991)
Massie v. Crawford
583 N.E.2d 935 (New York Court of Appeals, 1991)
Wieder v. Skala
609 N.E.2d 105 (New York Court of Appeals, 1992)
Snyder v. Town Insulation, Inc.
615 N.E.2d 999 (New York Court of Appeals, 1993)
Cerabono v. Price
7 A.D.3d 479 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2004)

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Bluebook (online)
19 Misc. 3d 881, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/adames-v-velasquez-nysupct-2008.