Patients of a Sydney dentist are being urged to get tested for blood-borne viruses after major concerns about infection control practices were raised.
Thousands of patients seen by a Strathfield dentist over more than 20 years are being asked to get tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
Dr William Tam, who practised at Suite B, 2 Albert Rd, Strathfield, was audited in April after a complaint made by a patient to the Dental Council of NSW.
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The audit raised concerns over infection control at the business, as well as patient record-keeping.
Tam has since retired and is no longer a registered dentist, NSW Health said in an urgent health alert on Wednesday.
“As a precaution, we are asking all of Dr Tam’s previous patients to seek testing for bloodborne viruses,” Sydney Local Health District clinical director for public health Dr Leena Gupta said.
Gupta said it is believed thousands of people may have been seen by Tam in the past 25 years but record-keeping was substandard and incomplete, meaning health authorities have been unable to identify individual patients with confidence.
Former patients of a Sydney dentist are being asked to get tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. File image. Credit: AAP Although the risk of infection is low, NSW Health said people may have potentially been exposed to the blood-borne viruses, with patients who underwent more invasive procedures at a higher risk of exposure to the viruses.
“The poor infection control practices at Dr Tam’s practice means all former patients may be at low risk of a blood-borne virus infection, which can have serious and long-lasting health impacts,” Gupta said.
“People with HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C may not have any symptoms for decades, so it is important that people at risk of these infections are tested so that they can access treatment as appropriate.
“There are effective treatments available for all three conditions.”
In October last year, an alert was also issued for patients of a dentist in the city’s southwest, who was also found to have not met cleaning standards.
Patients of Safuan Hasic, a sole practitioner at 70 Victoria Ave in Mortdale, were urged to be tested for blood-borne viruses as a precautionary measure.