VA defends limited Ohio infection testing

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — The Department of Veterans’ Affairs is standing by its decision to limit the number of dental patients tested for infections after treatment in a southwest Ohio medical center.

The VA has offered to screen 535 patients who received invasive procedures over an 18-year period from a dentist who allegedly failed to change gloves or sterilize instruments at the Dayton VA Medical Center.

The department released a statement late Thursday after a task force’s call for broader testing. The VA says it’s important not to scare or cause undue stress to veterans who are not at risk. It says Dayton area veterans can rest assured that its decision was carefully reached.

An interim report from a Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association task force says all the dentist’s patients should be screened.