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More than 22,000 dental patients in Nottinghamshire are being called
for tests to see if they have been infected with blood-borne viruses,
possibly including HIV.
It is understood that experts want to carry out the tests due to a
possible risk of infection after poor procedures were reported over
several decades.
It is being described by health chiefs as a "significant patient recall".
NHS England clarified that the patients would be tested for multiple
diseases, expected to include Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
Sky Reporter Joanna Simpson said: "We suspect now that it may be more
procedural, so it may be some procedures weren't followed correctly.
"Obviously when we all go to the dentist we know that there are
certain things like you can only use certain items once or they have
to be sterilised in a certain way, and it may be something to do with
that.
"It looks like this will still be the largest recall of patients that
has ever happened."
The risk of infection is thought to be low, but NHS England said
patients must be tested.
The concerns have emerged over infection control standards by a
dentist who treated patients in Nottingham over a 32-year period, the
Daily Mirror reported.
A news conference on the recall is expected to be held later on Wednesday.
Credit: Sky News
