Philly’s Smiles on the Square dental patients should get tested for HIV, hepatitis, health department says
Inquirer.com • • nation
Key Points:
- The Philadelphia Department of Public Health advises patients of Smiles at Rittenhouse Square dental clinic to get tested for hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and HIV due to concerns over unsanitary practices.
- The clinic, located at 255 South 17th Street and also known as Smiles on the Square, has closed after the Pennsylvania Department of State temporarily suspended dentist Kirti Chopra’s license.
- Health inspectors cited the clinic in March for reusing single-use saline bags and anesthesia vials, and for improper sterilization of dental tools, posing risks of bloodborne infections.
- The health department is contacting patients who visited between April 2025 and May 2026 to provide testing information and assistance through a hotline.
- The clinic will remain closed until infection control issues are resolved and Chopra’s license is reinstated, with ongoing collaboration between the health department and clinic staff.