Friday, March 04, 2011

VA Dentist Implicated in Unhygienic Dental Practice and Spread of Hepatitis Receives Raise in 2010



At least 535 veterans who received care at the Dayton VA Medical Center's dental clinic from 1992 to July 2010 will be offered free screening to see if they were infected when a dentist failed to change his Latex gloves and sterilize tools between patients

Government run health care, why not?
The Dayton VA Medical Center dentist whose poor infection control practices put patients’ health at risk was recommended for a 6.2 percent annual raise early in 2010 even though his supervisors knew of his unhygienic practices.

That proposed raise was disclosed Wednesday in response to a Dayton Daily News public records request.

Dwight M. Pemberton, 81, of Centerville, got a 2.56 percent raise instead, bringing his annual pay to $165,878. An Oct. 4 VA investigation report shows co-workers of Pemberton had told supervisors of his actions for several years, yet the supervisors let him continue treating patients.

Pemberton was in the lowest VA dentist pay tier: $96,539 to $195,000. He had been employed at the Dayton VA 35 years before retiring Feb. 11 amidst an investigation into the clinic’s infection control practices. He has declined comment.

Nine of Pemberton’s patients so far have tested positive in preliminary screenings for hepatitis B and C, which can be transmitted by blood or through sex. Confirmatory testing is next, then epidemiological testing to determine if any confirmed cases resulted from exposure at the clinic between 1992 and July 2010.
Get ready for more of these stories when and if ObamaCare becomes a reality.

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