Patients of a retired Sydney dentist who practised for more than 25 years have been urged to get tested for blood-borne viruses following concerns over infection control. New South Wales (NSW) Health issued the alert on Wednesday, advising all patients of Dr William Tam to see their GP for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV testing.
Dr Tam practised at a clinic on Albert Road in Strathfield, in Sydney's inner-west. The alert follows an audit by the Dental Council of NSW that identified concerns about infection control practices and patient record keeping. The clinical director of public health for the Sydney Local Health District, Dr Leena Gupta, said thousands of people may have been seen by Dr Tam but there are no records to contact them directly.
"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," Dr Gupta said. She added that people with HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C may not have symptoms for decades, making testing important.
Dr Zeina Najjar, a public health specialist, said the audit in April found inadequate sterilisation of equipment and poor cleaning. No patients have been diagnosed with a blood-borne virus from the practice, but auditors could not identify all potentially affected individuals due to poor record keeping. Patients who underwent invasive procedures are at slightly higher risk, though overall risk remains low.
Former patients can contact their GP or Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for more information.
