Health officials warn patients of potential HIV, hepatitis exposure at Philadelphia dental office

Key Points:

• Philadelphia health officials recommend hepatitis and HIV testing for patients of Smiles at Rittenhouse Square dental clinic due to unsanitary practices from April 2025 to May 2026, with the clinic now closed following the dentist's license suspension.
• The clinic's sole dentist, Dr. Kirti Chopra, had her license suspended for practices posing "clear and immediate danger" to public health, including reusing injectable medication vials and IV saline bags, and failing to properly sterilize instruments.
• Investigators found multiple sanitation violations such as contaminated gloves, unsterilized instruments, and dental handpieces left attached after use, raising risks of transmission of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, and other infections.
• Although the risk of transmission is considered low with no known cases linked to the clinic yet, officials urge patients to get tested, noting that hepatitis B vaccination offers protection while no vaccines exist for HIV or hepatitis C.
• The health department is finalizing a list of potentially exposed patients, estimated in the hundreds, and has set up a hotline for concerned individuals, while Dr. Chopra cooperates with public health authorities on patient notification and remediation.