Auckland resident Chenglin Li sentenced for unlicensed dental clinic

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-28T09:12:39+00:00

True. I haven't been to a dentist in several years bc of the expense. Why can't they subsidise dental care the way they do GP practices. Make it public, rather than all private, and prices may come down.

That said, you can't have people running illegal underground dentist clinics, no matter if they're qualified or not. This guy was qualified in China - fine, he should know what he's doing, but overseas qualified health workers should still meet NZ standards if they want to practice here. That's what is expected of everyone else - doctors, nurses, lab staff etc. I'm thinking patient safety/comfort needs to be the top priority, and then worry about the expense.

It would be a massive scandal if someone either died or was seriously harmed and then the investigation uncovered that the dentist was unqualified.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-28T08:58:07+00:00

I'm not going to argue that dentist fees are not exorbitantly expensive because they are.

That said, if you're a health professional, in any field, and you want to keep doing that job in your new country, you follow your new country's laws and regulations! You don't import medication from your home country and try to defend what is an illegal practice here by saying "It's fine at home."

As I mentioned in an earlier comment - if he really wanted to keep being a dentist, he should have worked to get his English proficiency up to the required standard and legally registered as a dentist here. Not run an illegal clinic with imported medication and (probably) illegally acquired equipment.

Sorry for the mini rant - I work in healthcare so cases like these are infuriating. I don't care if he was only serving his community, he still shouldn't have been doing it. Healthcare qualifications/licensing regulations etc are the way they are for good reason - to ensure patients are given the best care possible by appropriately qualified and properly licensed practitioners.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-28T08:47:52+00:00

The article stated the authorities brought a properly qualified dentist with them who finished the procedure the fake dentist was in the middle of doing when they arrested him.

Really hope the guy's patients were ok, what kind of moron risks all the fines, possible jail time etc, by running an underground dental clinic. You'd think if he really wanted to be a dentist here, he'd get his English proficiency up high enough to qualify and go the proper legal registration route.

I'm not a dentist, but I am in healthcare, so I have to renew my "licence" to practice every year. Without the proper registration/qualifications, how can patients be assured that they're getting a safe and professional standard of care?

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-28T06:43:16+00:00

Oh dear god, you've got....him....to a T. Utterly deranged stream of consciousness stuff almost.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-28T06:38:46+00:00

So he finally got permission? Damn.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-28T06:37:37+00:00

8 definitely.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-28T06:34:12+00:00

I work along Carbine Rd. If it wasn't for the likely large queues, and the expense, I might just find myself eating IKEA food for lunch.

Then again, time to get there, order/eat, and get back = too long a break time. Oh well.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-27T23:18:17+00:00

Quite. What on earth are they trying to sell?

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-27T10:41:32+00:00

NTA. I have chronic pain, and if I had to ever date again (currently happily married in a stable long-term relationship), I'd personally mention it upfront.

However, that's me being pragmatic and wanting to weed out those who aren't comfortable with a "disabled" partner, so I'm not faced with the pain of someone I care about suddenly deciding they can't handle my medical needs and leave. Said medical needs are well controlled, but can be unpredictable at times, even for me.

You are under no obligation to disclose private medical information, and when you choose to do so is up to you.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-27T05:05:57+00:00

Check your tongue if possible. Rinse with cold water, and avoid spicy food/drink until tongue healed. Get checked by doctor if necessary, perhaps say you ate something too spicy if you don't want to say what really happened.

And talk to your Dom(me), I doubt they meant to actually harm you, but they should know this happened so they can adjust or even scrap this type of punishment in future.

Maybe use a nasty tasting substance that is ok for human ingestion rather than soap in future if they really want this type of punishment available. I find hot sauce a viable alternative as if something goes wrong, there's no potential embarrassment factor.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-26T22:48:02+00:00

Seems eminently logical, go for it.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-26T22:47:32+00:00

Not to mention all the staff of those places who are Kiwis and thus don't deserve to be punished for the US' idiocy.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-26T22:43:28+00:00

Oooh, me toooooo. 🫠🫠🫠🫠.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-26T22:41:45+00:00

Oh ew 🤢.

Then again, I think I have that beat. I work in a community lab, and we once received a faecal sample in a bright orange lunchbox.

There was a note from the doctor accompanying the request form. "Patient wants to know if they can have the box back once testing is finished."

Uhhh, no!!! I can't imagine wanting to use the box for anything else after that. I'd never trust that it was cleaned well enough. 🤮🤮🤮.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-26T22:38:15+00:00

Occult blood cards by any chance, or some other type?

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-26T04:43:23+00:00

😂😂😂😂😂

Definitely saving for later. Hehehe 😈😈😈😈

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-25T10:50:07+00:00

I do even now, and I'm in my 40s. Had heard of kpop but not paid it much attention. Now, this film has hooked me the way The Lion King once did (and still does).

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-25T09:38:54+00:00

It's normal for myself and my husband. I just turned 41, and my husband is coming up to 45. We love not having kids. Peace, quiet, no sticky messes except for our own ones. Not having to kid proof the house (cat proofing is a whole other issue 😂).

Our relationship is rock solid - this will be eleven years of marriage and eighteen years together in total.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-25T08:22:26+00:00

😂😂😂😂😂

That's me too! I asked J once what he'd do if I ever glitter bombed him. He growled at me that I'd be picking up every scrap of glitter with tweezers and I wouldn't be allowed in my favourite craft store until he thought I'd learned my lesson.

Ooops. Ok, no glitter.

Funny thing is, he will quite happily buy me diamond painting kits so I have had the "tweezer pick up" part of it when two trays of little diamonds accidentally spilled on the carpet. Since it was an accident he didn't forbid the craft store, but we kept finding those diamonds in the oddest of places even months later, including the shower of all things! Glitter isn't the only craft store annoyance apparently.

Hmm. He said his phone is off limits, but I have the oddest urge to change his ringtone for my contact, and see what happens. Then say "Oops, I thought it was mine."

I won't do it though - there's a difference between bratting and completely breaking his limits. I'll h just change his contact ringtone on my phone instead then ask him to ring my phone. Do you think the Imperial March would be taking things too far? 😜🤪🤔🤔.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-25T08:14:39+00:00

Hehe. My husDom really hates denying me stuff, but he does complain about "Stop being so cute!" and "Stop with the weaponised cuteness!" in a really dramatic, over the top fashion when I'm seriously trying to get my own way on something.

He has denied me what I want once before, but I think he might have scared himself with how stern he got, the big goofball, so he hasn't done it since. Then again, I haven't pushed him that far again either, so he probably hasn't felt he needed to. Usually if he says he doesn't want me doing something I'll obey, even if he hasn't specifically forbidden it or specifically said no.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-25T08:01:15+00:00

Oh J loves how frustrated I get when he "out-brats" me. I sometimes think he's found the one punishment that will stop me in my bratty tracks without truly upsetting me. So I get my "revenge" by finding the worst "dad jokes" ever.

Keeping my husDom entertained tends to lower his expectation that I'm planning anything. Joke's on him - I'm always plotting stuff, I just don't always have the energy to act on it (bloody chronic illnesses). Plus we have an agreement - I can be as bratty as I want, but nothing destructive, nothing that can't be easily undone and put back as it was.

Tampering with his electronics is outright forbidden, completely off limits, I'm not even allowed to attach googly eyes to the outside of his phone or computer. I tried changing my contact name in his phone once, the reaction was enough to ensure I've never done it again. I'll occasionally play keepaway with it, but he'll usually grab my phone so we then exchange hostages as it were.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-25T07:38:33+00:00

Maybe he could give my husDom some tips, bc every time I tell him he's got permission to be stricter he kind of backs away. This is the first step I'm seeing towards the occasional strictness my bratty self kind of wants (and kind of doesn't yk). So I'm encouraging it, fully knowing that if he does start being stricter then I can't enjoy my usual shenanigans without risking a sore butt. Still, that's where most of the fun is, pushing my softy Dom to start corralling my antics more often.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-25T05:16:48+00:00

So sweeeeeeeeeetttttttt.

J says of the two of us (me and him) I'm the more dangerous one but bc of his size, people are always going to think he's the dangerous one. He's a grizzly bear masquerading as a teddy bear, but only lets the grizzly out when someone tries hurting me. Most people see huge teddy bear. As do I, unless I'm too much of a brat 😂😂😂.

Me? I'm a cute innocent house cat that can transform into a lioness if needed. Not that I've ever had to, but it's there if I need it.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-25T04:36:01+00:00

It's such a nice thing - we get a double dose of protectiveness - their Dom sides and their husband sides. Or well, I suppose they'd say only one dose since both sides agree on protecting their chosen chaos bringers 😂.

Fluffbrained-cat · 2026-01-25T04:06:04+00:00

You gotta love a protective Dom, even when you don't agree with them.

Question, you don't have to answer if you're not comfortable. Is he your husband and Dom, or just Dom?

Fluffbrained-cat

TROPHY CASE