Dental Board Shuts Down Tulsa Fair Teeth Whitening Booth

The State Board of Dentistry shuts down a teeth whitening booth at the Tulsa state fair. The Board got an injunction against EuroShine USA for practicing dentistry without a license.

The Board got a complaint, then staked out the booth Monday and watched them treat six people. The Board says there was a lack of knowledge and sanitary cleanliness that put people's health at risk. 

On Monday, the Dentistry Board told the booth workers to stop operating, then went back the next day with the court order.

Read the application for temporary restraining order

Read the temporary restraining order

When the booth opened Tuesday, the employee began taking down the signs advertising teeth whitening for $40. The Dental Board says the blue light they saw the employee using isn't supposed to be used on people with cataracts or who've had cataract surgery, yet no medical histories were taken.

They say the booth operator gave false information to people and didn't use sanitary practices.

"After the person is finished with the teeth whitening, he has a sack and you're asked to spit out the tray and all the contents, saliva, gum tissue, everything into a bag and there's no disposal procedure and has communicable diseases on it," said Susan Rogers of the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry.

The employee was advised he was committing felony and told to stop or be arrested. Board representatives were afraid another employee would just take his place, so they went to court for an injunction against the business.

"This is your notice, you're enjoined from doing any kind of teeth whitening here," Rogers said.

He immediately called the owner's daughter Joyce Van Styn to come to the booth, which she did. 

Susan Rogers: "Is Ingo Van Styn your dad?
Joyce Van Styn: "Yeah."
Susan Rogers: "You want to accept notice?"
Joyce Van Styn: "What are they doing here?"
Susan Rogers: "I don't know, I'm not their babysitter."

Joyce at first told me they had done this at other places, but when I asked her where, she then said this was their first fair. The employee had told the board, however, that they'd been doing it for two years. 

Lori Fullbright, reporter: "Any of you guys licensed?"
Joyce Van Styn, Vice President: "We do not have licenses."
Lori Fullbright, reporter:"You didn't know?"
Joyce Van Styn, Vice President: "No, we've seen them doing it at other places, we had no idea we had to have a license to do this."
Lori Fullbright, reporter: "Weren't you worried you were putting people at risk? What if something went wrong?"
Joyce Van Styn, Vice President: "I have no idea."

There's a court date next Tuesday. The EuroShine owners can go contest the injunction. If they don't show, the injunction will become permanent against them in Oklahoma.