12,000 Sydney dental patients may have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis

Patients at six dental clinics told to get tested for blood-borne viruses after revelations of poor cleaning and equipment sterilisation

About 12,000 dental patients in Sydney are at risk of having contracted HIV or other blood-borne viruses after an investigation found equipment has not been sterilised and cleaned properly in practices across the city.

NSW Health has confirmed six dentists have had their registration suspended and one dentist’s practice has been closed after patient complaints in November and December last year led to the discovery of breaches in infection control.

Continue reading...