Thousands of NHS dental patients have been told they could be at risk of infections such as HIV or hepatitis because of a dentist's poor hygiene measures.
Five thousand people in Bristol and 3,600 patients in Bournemouth have been sent letters offering blood tests to establish if they have been infected after being treated by the dentist at surgeries in both cities.
The dentist, who has not been named by health bosses, worked at Frenchay Dental Practice in Bristol between January 2003 and July 2007, and at the East Street Dental Practice in the city for two weeks in December 2007.
However, issues about the dentist’s standards of "infection control" were raised when the dentist worked in the Bournemouth area from January last year.
NHS Bournemouth and Poole was alerted to issues surrounding the sterilisation of dental equipment by a member of staff at the Poole Lane Dental Practice in October.
The dentist was suspended pending an investigation by the General Dental Council .
NHS South Gloucestershire, NHS Bristol and NHS Bournemouth and Poole said the potential risk of blood-borne infections to patients was very low and stressed that the warning letter was sent as a precautionary measure to reassure people.
Dr Chris Payne, Director of public health at NHS South Gloucestershire, said there has never been a documented case in the UK of blood-borne viruses being passed from one patient to another in a dental practice and stressed that the risk of this happening in dental care is "very low".
