Daijiworld Media Network – Sydney
Sydney, May 14: Health authorities in Australia’s New South Wales have issued a major public health warning urging nearly 5,000 former patients of a retired dentist to undergo testing for possible exposure to blood-borne infections including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
The alert follows an audit that uncovered serious lapses in infection control practices at a dental clinic operated by Dr William Tam in Strathfield, western Sydney.
The New South Wales Health Ministry on Wednesday said patients who visited the clinic over the past two decades could potentially face a low risk of infection due to inadequate sterilisation procedures.
Officials stated that although the overall risk of transmission remains low, precautionary testing has been strongly recommended because such infections can remain undetected for years.
Dr Leena Gupta, public health clinical director for the Sydney Local Health District, said poor infection control practices at the clinic may have exposed former patients to blood-borne viruses with potentially serious long-term health consequences.
Dr Tam operated the clinic at Suite B, 2 Albert Street for more than 25 years before retiring and being deregistered as a dentist.
According to authorities, the investigation was triggered after an audit conducted by the Dental Council of New South Wales in April revealed significant failures in the cleaning and sterilisation of dental instruments.
Reports indicated that instruments used during procedures involving blood were allegedly not sterilised using mandatory autoclave methods designed to eliminate dangerous pathogens.
Health officials said the situation has been complicated by the absence of proper patient records, making it difficult to directly contact affected individuals.
Dr Zeina Najjar from the Sydney Local Health District described the case as unprecedented in terms of logistical challenges, noting that authorities have now resorted to public appeals to trace former patients.
Authorities expressed concern because infections such as HIV and hepatitis B and C may remain asymptomatic for many years, delaying diagnosis and treatment.
Officials clarified that no confirmed cases of virus transmission linked to the clinic have been identified so far, though they acknowledged that comprehensive testing is still ongoing.
The incident has reignited concerns about infection control standards and regulatory oversight in private healthcare practices.
Health experts stressed that strict sterilisation procedures and proper maintenance of medical records are essential to protecting public health and preventing similar incidents in the future.