Unregistered Dentist Could Have Exposed Blood-Borne Viruses to Patients
According to the state health department, due to poor control procedures and infection prevention, a man who allegedly posed as a dentist in Victoria could have exposed patients to various blood-borne viruses.
It is alleged that Muhammet Velipasaoglu provided dental treatment from a residential property in Meadow Heights, Melbourne, from 2003 up until May this year.
Dr Finn Romanes, Victoria’s acting chief health officer, said that Velipasaoglu had never registered to practice dentistry in Australia.
Due to poor control procedures and infection prevention, he said there had been a “low but real risk” of transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency raided Velipasaoglu property and launched an investigation in May, following a tipoff. They seized some of his equipment and shut the ‘clinic’ down.
Velipasaoglu was charged by AHPRA and is to be prosecuted through the magistrates court for posing as a dentist, carrying out restricted dental procedures, possession of schedule prescription-only drugs and using a protected title. The date of the hearing has not yet been set.
Robert Boyd-Boland, chief executive of the Australian Dental Association, said that allegations of unregistered dental practitioners are rare, and this is only the second case he is aware of, despite being in the dentistry field for more than 10 years.
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