DEER PARK, Wash. — The Spokane Regional Health District and the Washington State Department of Health are advising patients who received care from Sandy Fletcher Montano, DDS, at the Deer Park Dental Clinic to undergo testing for HIV and viral hepatitis.
The health district recommends that patients who visited the clinic between November 2021 and June 2022 get tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. Concerns regarding potential infection control issues affecting patients in Spokane County were reported to the Department of Health in November 2021.
The Department of Health also stated that there were no prior complaints regarding Montano’s infection control practices before 2021. They encourage patients to consult with their healthcare providers about potential risks and whether testing is advisable.
According to a press release from the Department of Health, the reported infection control breaches include inadequate cleaning and disinfection of reusable equipment and the improper reuse of disposable items, which could have exposed patients to blood and other infectious materials.
“While no disease transmission has been identified at this time, if these practices occurred at the clinic, patients may have been at risk for bloodborne pathogens (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV). However, the overall risk of contracting a disease is considered low.”.
The Department of Health noted that Montano’s license was first suspended in June 2022 and was indefinitely suspended in April 2024.
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