ROME - There are up to 15,000 unauthorised dentists who operate fraudulently in Italy, the Italian Association of Dentists (ANDI) stated at its national conference in Rome on Friday.

 

The dental association convened to discuss dentistry and noted the problems facing the dental care industry in Italy, notably that between 10,000 and 15,000 phony dentists operate throughout the country.

 

Italy has more than 58,000 legal dentists, which ANSI believes is sufficient enough to serve the population, however the current economic crisis may be leading patients to seek lower costs. ANDI vice-president Mauro Rocchetti warned that the health risks associated with visiting a fraudelent dentist can be "very high" and recommended that Italians "be more careful" about their dental health.

 

ANSI also reported that nearly half a million people neglected to visit the dentist from 2007 to 2012, and that now dental care has faced a 30 percent decline. President of ANSI, Gianfranco Prada, stressed the importance of regularly visiting authorised dentists and stated that the postponement of dental care "often leads to even greater costs later on."