King County Warns Of HIV, Hepatitis Risk Related To Local Dentist

BURIEN, WA - A dentist office in Burien has been shut down by the state due to poor disinfection and sterilization practices, and King County is advising former patients to get tested for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

The George M. Davis Dental Clinic was inspected by the state Dental Quality Assurance Commission in August after receiving a complaint. The inspection found "multiple infection control problems, including the cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and storage of reprocessed instruments," according to King County.

“Even though the risk of infection from this situation is likely to be low, we don’t know the exact risk for each patient at this clinic,” King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin said in a press release. “Because infections can spread when good infection control practices are not followed, if you’ve been a patient at the George M. Davis Clinic talk with your healthcare provider to help determine if you should get tested.”

The clinic, formerly located at 14241 Ambaum Blvd Southwest, has been in operation since 1982.

Symptoms of hepatitis include: abdominal pain, vomiting, jaundice, and fatigue lasting months. Early symptoms of HIV include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and flu-like sickness.

King County is offering testing services for George M. Davis Dental Clinic patients. Call (206) 296-4949 for more information.

Image via Shutterstock