An HIV alert has hit a town in Washington state amid concerns over cleaning practices at a local dental clinic.
This week, Dr. Sandy Montano’s patients were warned in a letter that they should be tested for the virus, as well as hepatitis B and C, due to possible exposure at the dentist’s office.
After investigating its Deer Park Central Clinic in Spokane County, home to about 550,000 people, health officials became concerned that “inadequate cleaning” could have spread infections.
Although they called for testing, officials said the “risk of infection is believed to be low” and no cases linked to the clinic have yet been reported.
Fear of HIV affected patients at Deer Park Dental Clinic in Spokane County, Washington
Dr. Sandy Montano is pictured above. His clinic has triggered an alert from health officials.
HIV and hepatitis B and C are blood-borne infections and can spread between patients if infected blood from one patient enters the bloodstream of another.
Warning letters were sent to everyone who was treated at the clinic between November 2021 and June 2022, though it is not known how many people received a notice or how many patients the dentist had.
An investigation revealed allegations that Dr. Montano sometimes failed to wear gloves while working with patients or used dirty, damaged or previously used gloves.
He also reportedly recovered single-use towels and other equipment from the trash that were said to have been soaked in paint thinner before being reused.
Dr. Montano also reportedly employed a dental assistant who was not licensed to perform the required tasks and procedures.
He has denied the allegations and also dismissed warnings to local people by officials as “unjustified” to local journalists today.
Dr. Montano was first investigated in November 2021 and had his license suspended in June 2022.
In April of this year, when the investigation concluded, Dr. Montano’s license was revoked.
It appears the clinic is no longer operational.
Officials raised the alarm in their statement, saying: “Potential infection control violations were reported as a complaint and include improper cleaning and disinfection of reusable equipment and improper reuse of disposable equipment that could expose patients to blood and other infectious material.”
Dr. Montano criticized the research before local journalists in The Spokesman-Reviewsaying this is being done because of allegations made by three former employees who he says were embezzling funds.
An estimated 14,000 people in Washington state are living with HIV, a number that increases by about 400 people each year. In Spokane County, more than 450 people are believed to be infected, according to local officials.
Many people infected with HIV begin to show symptoms two to six weeks after infection, presenting as a flu-like illness.
Symptoms may then disappear for years, increasing the risk that someone could unknowingly pass the virus on to others.
HIV used to be a death sentence, but with the arrival of new medications, people infected with the virus can now lead healthy, normal lives.
Treatment includes antiretroviral therapy (ART), which can reduce the virus to undetectable levels, which experts say means the person will not be able to transmit it to others.
Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus that is spread through contact with infected blood or semen. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, and loss of appetite. It is rarely fatal.
Hepatitis C is also a liver disease. It is transmitted through exposure to infected blood, body fluids or syringes and has similar symptoms.
It has a mortality rate of approximately 3.18 deaths per 100,000 people.