Inside the illegal centers

Pretending I had a toothache, I visited an unlicensed dental clinic about 30 meters from the Shiliuzhuang community health service center in Fengtai district, Beijing. The single-room clinic was less than 10 square meters and was separated by just a dirty, white curtain. As I walked in, a woman in her 50s holding a baby sat next to a desk littered with artificial teeth, dental tools and small bottles. Beside her were a basin and a large, purple dentist's chair.

Hearing us arrive, another woman came out from behind the curtain. As she did so, I saw an unmade bed behind her, and she asked me what the problem was as she searched for her shoes. After telling her I had toothache, I sat in her chair and she picked up a mirror to look at my teeth. Noticing my reluctance, she quickly turned and rinsed it under the faucet. I closed my eyes and opened my mouth.

The dentist, who is surnamed Wang, moved to the capital with her husband from Jiangxi province and has run the clinic for several years. She said she sleeps behind the curtain.