Medical instruments even rust
The report said the dentist is from Oklahoma, USA, and his name is Harrington. One of his patients was recently found to be positive for hepatitis C and HIV. The patient claimed that there were no other factors that would have been enough to contract the virus other than the treatment he received from Harrington. Upon hearing about that patient's infection, the Ohio State Board of Dentistry, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration then became involved in the investigation.
The Ohio State Board of Dentistry swooped in on March 18 to inspect Harrington's practice. It turned up multiple violations, including repeated use of needles, incomplete sterilization of medical equipment, pouring bleach on wounds, and more. Investigators found that much of the medical equipment was even rusted. Harrington also served Medicaid patients, which meant that a high percentage of his patients were living with HIV and hepatitis viruses.
U.S. media reported that Harrington allowed unlicensed dental assistants to administer medications to his patients, and those dental assistants were able to decide what medications to use and how much to use. His clinic's medicine cabinets were unlocked and unsupervised during the day. Harrington also had no record of drug inventory, and no record of certain controlled substances.
In addition, a large number of drugs had long since expired, and individual bottles should have been disposed of even in 1993.
*** Says patients get free medical exams
Officials with the Ohio Department of Health warned on 28 October that Harrington may have infected more than 7,000 people with AIDS and other infectious diseases by failing to adequately sterilize medical equipment. Rutgers, the executive officer of the Oklahoma State Board of Dentistry, said the incident was the "perfect storm.
The department has sent notices to 7,000 patients at the Harrington clinic since 2007. Officials said any patient who had been seen at the Harrington dental clinic could go to a designated free clinic for a checkup. The Department of Health issued a statement saying, "We are not sure how long Dr. Harrington's misconduct has been going on, so we are recommending that all people who have been treated by him be screened for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C."
Dr. Harrington has voluntarily closed the clinic until the investigation is complete. However, Harrington believes the allegations against him are not entirely true. The medical instruments were disinfected with bleach in addition to being cleaned normally, but they had brownish-red rust stains that prevented them from being completely sterilized.