Nearly 600 patients at a Wisconsin U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center will need to be screened for hepatitis and HIV after a dentist at the facility was found to have cleaned and reused burs in a violation of VA policy.
The dentist, who has not been identified, was removed from patient care from the Tomah, WI, facility on October 21, according to an article in the LaCrosse Tribune. There is no indication of a transmission of an infection at present, but screening all 592 patients seen by the dentist since his hiring in October 2015 is "the proper thing to do," a spokesperson for the medical center was quoted in the article.
The dentist was using his own burrs and cleaning them, according to the article. VA policy is that burs must be disposed after a single use. The dentist is currently not seeing patients. A review board is scheduled to meet on December 5 to determine the next steps.
The acting director of the facility stated that the VA has contacted the dental licensing board for Texas, where the dentist was licensed, and state and federal prosecutors.
