Dentist Drilled Over Practice

DENVER -- A suspended Colorado dentist reused syringes and needles in his now-shuttered practice, potentially exposing thousands of patients to HIV and hepatitis infection, health officials warned on Friday.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment sent letters to 8,000 patients of dentist Stephen Stein, urging them to seek tests for the diseases after learning of "unsafe injection practices" at two Denver-area clinics he owned between September 1999 and June 2011.

Investigators found that Stein reused needles and syringes in several patients' intravenous lines at his oral surgery and dental implant clinics, in violation of standard medical protocol, the department said in a statement.

The kicker is patients won't have any recourse if they find they have contracted HIV or hepatitis.  They have no way to prove that their condition resulted from this and not other contact.  It's not fair, but any lawyer could cast enough doubt to reduce claims to nothing.

A high tech clinic that impressed patients because it was so modern, put thousands of lives at risk over equipment valued at less than a dollar.  What a waste.

There have always been businesses and professionals who cut corners,  Consumers and patients must be more vigilant to protect themselves.  I dare say this type of stuff will only get worse.