Are dentists legally bound to disclose if they are HIV+?
Dentists and dental hygienists and dental auxiliaries who are diagnosed as HIV positive are not currently required to report their status to the State Board of Dental Examiners or the California Department of Health. However, the health care provider who makes the diagnosis that an individual is HIV positive is obligated to report that finding to the California Department of Health. The department will review all new reports of HIV infection and determine if the individual is a health care worker). When a health care worker is identified the department will “convene an expert advisory panel to provide advice to the department…(and) make a recommendation on whether the health care worker ‘s current practice represents a risk to patients and if yes, how to counsel the health care worker… (and) will monitor the health care worker ‘s voluntary compliance with the counseling message. If the health care worker disagrees with the department’s recommendations, the matter may become a manda
Dentists and dental hygienists and dental auxiliaries who are diagnosed as HIV positive are not currently required to report their status to the State Board of Dental Examiners or the California Department of Health. However, the health care provider who makes the diagnosis that an individual is HIV positive is obligated to report that finding to the California Department of Health. The department will review all new reports of HIV infection and determine if the individual is a health care worker). When a health care worker is identified the department will “convene an expert advisory panel to provide advice to the department…(and) make a recommendation on whether the health care worker ‘s current practice represents a risk to patients and if yes, how to counsel the health care worker… (and) will monitor the health care worker ‘s voluntary compliance with the counseling message.
