Ohio VA center says dental clinic care now safer

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — The director of an Ohio VA medical center rocked last year by allegations of improper dental-clinic hygiene says any lingering patient-care concerns have been addressed and improvements made.

The director says Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center received a “clean slate” on issues identified by the VA’s inspector general’s office. An inspector general’s spokeswoman would not comment Monday.

An investigation found a clinic dentist wasn’t regularly changing latex gloves or properly sterilizing equipment. The dentist denies the allegations.

Officials are trying to determine whether there’s a link between three veterans testing positive for hepatitis and the care they received at the clinic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is analyzing the cases. The Dayton VA director tells the Dayton Daily News he expects to hear from the CDC soon.