Memphis Health Department Urges Dental Patients HIV Tested

Shelby County Health Department Closes SPT Clinic and Suspends Dr. Alfred Brown’s license noting unsanitary conditions, and health officials urge thousands of patients to get tested for HIV and Hepatitis B and C.

July 1st, SPT Clinic was closed after a complaint was made to the Tennessee Department of Health by a patient through the state dental board. The complaint included problems with making sterile the equipment used by the dentist as well as proper hand-washing techniques.

Shelby County Health Department encourages all 3000 patients of the practice to be screened for HIV, and Hepatitis B and C.

As of publishing time on this article, there have not been any transmissions linked to the facility under investigation.

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“We are strongly urging anyone that has received care at SPT Dental or services provided by Dr. Brown that they be tested for blood borne pathogens and that would include hepatitis B, hepatitis C as well as HIV,” said Dr. Alisa Haushalter, director of health at the Shelby County Health Department. “At this time we have no information that indicates that there was an actual transmission at the practice, but in the best interest of the public we are urging all individuals to get tested.”

What Violations?

According to reports, there is no criminal investigation of the dentist or practice. However, health officials are making a nationwide statement as some of the patients may have moved out of the Mid-South area that includes parts of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Shelby County officials are in contact with other state health departments.

Another local television station reports:

“There are allegations in the report that Dr. Brown failed to change gloves between patients and reused dental crowns that had previously been in someone else’s mouth.

They also said he sometimes appeared to be under the influence during their visits.“