FOUR patients tested positive for Hepatitis C after an HIV scare at a dental practice that treated thousands of people, a hearing was told this week.

Dentist Alan Morrison is said to have used contaminated equipment on patients at his clinics in Cumnock and Drongan, Ayrshire for almost a year.

The dentist allegedly put 6,000 patients at risk of contracting HIV and other blood born viruses such as hepatitis by using dirty instruments and not using clean gloves.

Morrison later claimed that missing documents had been damaged in a flood and is alleged to have been part of an extensive cover up with two other staff members.

The dentist has admitted falsifying invoices for medical supplies to health investigators looking into his practices’ decontamination procedures.

He is appearing before a General Dental Council tribunal while practice manager Lorraine Kelly and dental nurse Dawn Grant, are not in attendance.

The panel has heard how concerns were first sparked by a dental nurse who had gone for a job interview at the practice.

After the nurse reported the allegations, Morrison’s Millbank Dental Surgery and Drongan Dental Surgeries underwent temporary voluntary closures to allow for inspections and a risk assessment was conducted.

None of the patients at the practice were found to be HIV positive from their medical records and the assessment recorded that the risk of contracting HIV was therefore negligible.

The risk of Hepatitis B was recorded as very low, while the risk of Hepatitis C was noted as low, but a precautionary patient notification exercise was carried out and a helpline set up to advise patients.But on November 18, 2013, the health board were alerted to claims that instruments were not being properly cleaned between patients.

The nurse who worked at the practice said proper procedures were not often followed.

In her statement, she said: ‘They were only getting wiped down with alcohol wipes after each patient whether they had blood on them or not and were put back into the drawer.’

Patients were again notified with around 5,100 letters being sent out and a second helpline was established, which received more than 2,000 calls.

Many then underwent testing, which found that none of the 2,250 patients had contracted HIV.

But yesterday (Tuesday) a public health specialist said that four adult patients had tested positive for Hepatitis C.

Of these, three had evidence of chronic infection and one showed signs of a previous infection.

It emerged at a health board meeting that two of the patients had received dental treatment on the same day.

But it could not be established whether the infection was picked up from the practice or from outside their dental treatment.

Morrison is accused of re-using tooth mould impression trays, using unsterilised drill bits and re-using matrix bands, metal strips which wrap around teeth.

Health inspectors from NHS Ayrshire and Arran allegedly found scaling equipment and amalgam gums for fillings which were not cleaned.

The inspectors requested invoices for a number of single-use items such as surgical gloves.

But Morrison was not able to provide them.

It is claimed the dentist stated that some documentation had been damaged in a flood while others may be with his accountant.

But the dentist was unable to remember the accountant’s name or address.

Invoices were eventually delivered to the health board months later.

He has admitted falsifying invoices for items including matrix bands and presenting them to investigators as valid but denied all the other charges against him.

Morrison, Kelly and Grant are all accused of failing to adhere to infection control guidelines and of being dishonest during the health investigation.

The hygiene allegations, dating between November 2012 and September 2013, also include reusing single-use drill bits, keeping unclean amalgam guns used for fillings and dirty scaling equipment.

Kelly is also accused of threatening a would-be whistleblower nurse who didn’t want to be involved in the cover up, telling the nurse ‘her day will come’.

Morrison was previously struck off the register in 2005 for putting the life of a patient in Kilmarnock Prison at risk.

He has since been reinstated but since these allegations came to light has had to do so under 18 practice conditions.

Morrison attended this week’s hearing wearing a grey suit, pale blue shirt and a red striped tie.

He sat clicking his pen as witness statements were read out.

Kelly and Grant, who are both absent from proceedings, have yet to respond to the charges against them.

The hearing continues.