State health officials are warning of unsafe injections that occurred for nearly 12 years among surgical patients of a dentist with offices in Highlands Ranch and Cherry Creek. In addition to going public, the state is notifying several thousand patients who received intravenous medication from Dr. Stephen Stein that they should be tested for HIV and hepatitis B and C.
“Needles and syringes were used repeatedly, often for days at a time,” explains a document on a state website. No infections have been reported to date, officials said.
The focus is on screening patients who received IV medications, including for sedation, between September 1999 and June 2011, when Stein signed a cease-practice agreement with the state dental examiners board. Another surgeon not accused of any wrongdoing has since taken charge of the business.
State officials do not believe Stein patients who received only local, oral anesthetic are at risk. However, officials believe Stein patients may be at risk if they were given IV medication:
*From September 1999 to June 2011 at Stein Oral and Facial Surgery, 8671 S. Quebec St., No. 230, Highlands Ranch.
*From August 2010 to June 2011 at Stein Oral and Facial Surgery, 3737 E. First Ave., Ste. B, Cherry Creek. Stein also saw patients at this location when it was called the New Image Dental Implant Center.
The state has coordinated with county health departments to be ready for patients’ questions, said Dr. Chris Urbina, state public health director. “This is a very unusual case, and that’s why we’re taking this so seriously,” he said, noting the state is handling at least 8,000 patient records.
Colorado’s help line is 877-462-2911. [PNU editor’s note: To access the state’s document answering frequently asked questions, visit: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/Epidemiology/dentistFAQs.pdf.]
Source
http://www.denverpost.com/
Date of Publication
07/13/2012
Author
Michael Booth; Joey Bunch
Article Type
General media
Article Category
Local and Community News
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