In August 2013, the illegal activities of a man pretending to be a dentist captured the public’s attention after a patient complained to the College of Dental Surgeons of BC (CDSBC). This complaint triggered an aggressive investigation by CDSBC to protect people who had sought treatment from the imposter, and incited country-wide media attention. 
In BC, dentists must be registered with the CDSBC, the regulatory body responsible for ensuring that registrants – real dentists – have a dental degree. Health professionals, including dentists, must also adhere to codes of ethics and standards of practice, and meet other stringent requirements. Health profession regulators work every day to protect the public from individuals who pose as regulated health professionals but who are, in fact, not registered or authorized to practice. Fortunately, these situations are rare, but when they do occur, they can be extremely dangerous. 
The College of Dental Surgeons of BC hired a private investigator to gather evidence and secured a court order for a search and seizure of the illegal dentist’s property. They discovered that this individual was performing dentistry on about 1,500 people and was not properly sterilizing tools and equipment. Due to these conditions, the CDSBC worked with Fraser Health Authority to issue a public health alert asking anyone who had received treatment from him to get tested for Hepatitis B and C, and HIV. 
Twenty-six health profession regulatory colleges form the Health Profession Regulators of BC, with the goal to increase public awareness of the college and health professional's role in public safety and quality assurance. Protection from unauthorized practice is a priority for every regulated health profession, including physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists and all of 26 health professions regulated by the Health Professions Act. 
Each of these regulated health professions has a website where the public can conduct a search through an online directory to confirm that the practitioner they want to seek treatment from is registered with their respective health profession regulator. For a full list of all health profession regulators in the province www.bchealthregulators.ca