Colo. health department: Oral surgeon reused syringes

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued a warning to patients of an oral surgeon who practiced in Highlands Ranch and Denver who was found to have repeatedly reused needles and syringes, often for days at a time.

Patients of Stephen Stein, DDS, may have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis B, and/or hepatitis C if they received intravenous (IV) medications, including sedation, under Stein's care from September 1999 through June 2011, according to the health department.

The department received a report of unsafe injection practices, triggering an investigation that determined that syringes and needles used to inject medications through patients' IV lines were saved and used again to inject medications through other patients' IV lines.

The department is working to obtain patient records so that it can notify the potentially affected patients directly. It has already sent out letters to those it has contact information for. All patients who are uncertain if they received IV medications should be tested, the department stated.

To date, no specific infections have been linked to Dr. Stein's offices.

Stein Oral and Facial Surgery is closed, the department noted. Dr. Stein entered into an Interim Cessation of Practice Agreement with the Colorado State Board of Dental Examiners at the Department of Regulatory Agencies in June 2011, and currently is not practicing.