A Sydney dentist, Safuan Hasic, was suspended and his Mortdale dental surgery was closed due to serious breaches in sterilization practices, which posed a risk of transmitting blood-borne viruses such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

NSW Health authorities indicated that potentially thousands of patients may have been exposed to these viruses because of inadequate infection control at the clinic, which included contaminated instruments and unsafe storage conditions.

Following the breaches, NSW Health issued a closure order for the practice and suspended Dr. Hasic's registration, emphasizing that the risk of infection, while low, is serious due to the nature of blood-borne viruses.

Patients who received treatment from Dr. Hasic are advised to see their GP for blood testing, regardless of previous results, and to seek further testing if necessary, as infections like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV can take years to manifest.

Health authorities recommend that tested patients consult their GP to determine if additional testing is needed, highlighting that effective treatments are available for these viruses.

The NSW Health department has identified a small number of patients treated at the practice and is actively contacting them with health advice, though many patients remain unknown and cannot be reached.

The Chief Health Officer warned that while the immediate risk is low, blood-borne viruses can cause long-term health issues, and infected individuals may not show symptoms for years, making testing essential.

Blood-borne viruses can be transmitted through dental instruments if infection control protocols are not followed, underscoring the importance of testing even in the absence of symptoms.

Additional support and information are available through NSW Health contact numbers and fact sheets on hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV.

Mr. Hasic denied any wrongdoing, claiming the alert was based on outdated complaints and incomplete training, and stated he plans to upgrade his equipment, asserting that no patients have contracted viruses from his practice.

The investigation involves collaboration between NSW Health, the Dental Council of NSW, and the Health Care Complaints Commission to determine the full extent of the issue.

Patients are advised not to seek treatment from Hasic while he remains suspended and to visit their GP for blood tests as a precaution, given the potential but low risk of infection.

The practice's hygiene breaches included contaminated instruments and unsafe storage conditions, but no patients have been diagnosed with blood-borne viruses to date, although the risk remains as symptoms can take years to appear.