Rochester, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/16/2013 -- The Oklahoma state dental board is offering free testing to Doctor Scott Wayne Harrington's patients after a 17-count complaint revealed his allegedly poor sterilization practices could have put them at risk for contracting HIV, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B. Patients received a letter from the Tulsa Health Department on Friday informing them of an inquiry into Harrington's practice and advising them to get screened.

The dentist's alleged practices came under fire after a patient who had no known risk factors, other than receiving dental treatment in Harrington's office, tested positive for both HIV and hepatitis C. Among the 7,000 patients who may have been exposed to HIV and Hepatitis in Harrington’s office are children. Their nervous parents are having them tested and grapple with how to understand the public health nightmare.

Dr. Jay Parnes, Perinton Family Dentist, wants to calm any fears his patients may have about sterilization and has sent a newsletter out to his patients, presented in its entirety here:

Dear Patients,

As you are probably aware, there is widespread news coverage involving the investigation of an Oklahoma oral surgeon for poor infection control practices and delegation of dental procedures. I would like to allay any concerns you may have regarding this as it pertains to my practice.

- We follow stringent infection control procedures, specifically designed for dental offices, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These procedures reduce the risk to patients to a point of an extremely remote possibility.
- As your doctor, I only delegate procedures to my staff that they are licensed and qualified to perform as per New York State regulations. I care about your health and safety as my foremost priority.

Let me describe just a few of the things we do in my practice in terms of infection control:

1. All dental staff involved with patient care scrub their hands before each and every patient and use protective garb such as gloves, masks and eye wear.
2. A new set of gloves and masks are used for each patient.
3. Before you enter the treatment room, all surfaces, such as the chair, instrument tray, dental light, drawer handles, and counter tops have been cleaned and decontaminated.
4. After every patient visit, all instruments are either disposed of or sterilized using chemicals under heat and pressure.

We would be happy to show you our infection control methods the next time you are in for an appointment. If you have any questions, I would be pleased to answer them.

Sincerely,
Jay D. Parnes, DDS