The woman accused of operating a dental office without a license did not appear at her scheduled Wake County court appearance on Monday, continuing a pattern where she's been hard to find at times.

Police said Ebony McBean received thousands of dollars for her unlicensed work through The Smiling Face Company. Investigators with the North Carolina Dental Board and Raleigh police have looked into the allegations around McBean for months. 

Other WRAL Top Stories

WRAL News learned of patients claiming McBean defrauded them out of thousands of dollars in orthodontic work in November. The Smiling Face Company shut its doors in October. Warrants for McBean's arrest were taken out on Nov. 12, 2025. She was served and arrested on Friday.

On Monday, McBean and her listed attorney did not appear as another attorney filled in. A judge told the present attorney that McBean needs to attend the next proceeding, scheduled for March 9.

As to why the arrest was a months-long process, Bobby White with the NC State Board of Dental Examiners said they lost track of McBean.

"We had found that she had left the state, and I don't know what has happened since then," White said. "We don't have the investigative powers that the police department has and some of the machinery they have for some of those kind of investigations."

A Raleigh detective said their agency worked with the dental board to investigate. The detective said they were trying to interview McBean as part of that investigation. It never happened. Instead, police arrested McBean during a traffic stop because of the outstanding warrants.

"She portrayed herself as an orthodontist and performed work that she was not licensed for," a Raleigh police official told WRAL.

The detective said McBean was paid in full for her work that was either poorly performed or not completed at all. 

A warrant showed McBean provided fraudulent dental services valued at $5,820 to put braces on a patient's teeth, even though she was not a registered dentist and portrayed herself as one. 

Nichelle Boone, who paid $4,250 for braces, said she had a bad experience as well.  

“I requested treatment records several times; I requested them via email, I did request them via text message. I never got my treatment records,” Nichelle Boone told WRAL News back in November. “I still have yet to receive any type of proof of payment.”

McBean posted a $3,000 bond on Saturday morning. 

White said he hopes patients will be able to get some reimbursement through the court system, because the licensing board is not able to.

"People have trusted her, have given her significant amounts of money and have gotten little or nothing in return and have now are left holding the bag," White said. "We hope that the court intervention will be able to give some sort of monetary relief. We're not able to do that."

In 2025, the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners noticed trends of people posing as dentists and dental hygienists and performing unsatisfactory work.

The North Carolina Dental Society provided WRAL with a statement on the matter.

“The North Carolina Dental Society (NCDS) is committed to protecting patients and promoting safe, ethical dental care across the state. While the NCDS does not make or enforce the laws governing dentistry, we strongly support the regulatory framework designed to safeguard the public," said Jim Goodman, CEO and Executive Director of NCDS.

Licensed dentists complete extensive education and training, including at least four years of post-undergraduate dental education, successful completion of rigorous board examinations, and fulfillment of all requirements established by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners (NCSDBE). These standards exist to ensure patients receive care from qualified, properly trained professionals. Individuals practicing without appropriate credentials or licensure present a serious risk to patient health and safety.  

NCDS supports the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners and law enforcement authorities in their responsibility to uphold North Carolina’s dental laws and protect the public. Patients are encouraged to  verify a dentist's license through the NC State Board of Dental Examiners  website and to report  concerns directly to the Board. A valid  license should be displayed in every dental office, and patients should receive and sign a written treatment plan before treatment begins.”