::: HCV News :::

This is a weird case.

HEP C DENTIST STRUCK OFF


06 September 2007

A swedish dentist who put thousands of people at risk of catching Hepatitis C by working for almost a decade with the disease has been struck off.

Sigvard Hicks concealed the fact he was infected with the virus from patients, staff and colleagues while based at two dental practices in Torbay between 1997 and May 2006.The General Dental Council held the entire three day case behind closed doors to protect the dentist's privacy over his health.

But the decision to erase Hicks from the register was announced in public.

The GDC upheld all five charges against Hicks including allegations he had practised with Hepatitis C, that he failed to take appropriate advice and about his condition and to act on it, and that he failed to notify his patients, staff and colleagues.

They also found he had not taken adequate precautions to protect patients and colleagues from exposure to the disease.

It is true that Hicks should have informed his Hospital, colleagues etc. What worries me is that HCV is known to be transmitted only through blood contact. Is it possible for the Dentist to get cuts or nicks, while wearing a glove and doing a dental procedure?

The real danger is that the human society seems to be in a hurry to ostracise HCV patients; the social stigma can cause more damage than the disease itself.

If any reader of this blog lives in Sweden, I urge you to contact the General Dental Council to find out what are the chances of a doctor can pass on HCV.