Fraser Health is warning that an unlicensed dentist in Surrey may have exposed patients to a risk of hepatitis B and C, HIV and other blood-borne infections.
The agency said an investigation by the College of Dental Surgeons of B.C. has found that Valentyn Uvarov has been providing dental treatments at 14275 62 Ave. without a valid license to practise dentistry.
Anyone who has received dental treatments from Uvarov is being advised to follow up with a health-care provider, or call 811 to address any health concerns.
Fraser Health medical officer Dr. Michelle Murtie said the public health warning of potential infectious-disease transmission was triggered by CDSBC’s finding that infection prevention and control practices may not have been in place, exposing patients to non-sterile materials.
“Part of the investigation found that containers for anesthetic, which should be single-use only, were not being disposed of after one client, increasing the risk of infection.”
Murtie said there have no reports of how long Uvarov had been practising dentistry without a license, although it is believed to have been at least a year.
“We do not have any records of clients – there is no client information available, so it’s hard to reach them,” she said. “We believe it was a limited community he was providing services to – it was predominantly Russian-speaking people who were receiving treatment.
“If anyone knows of any friends or family who used these services, we would urge them to follow up with a health-care provider to see if testing might be needed.”
For more information, visit www.fraserhealth.ca
