'Get tested now': Urgent warning as 5,000 Aussie patients of dentist potentially exposed to HIV and hepatitis

Published: 06:53, 13 May 2026 | Updated: 06:55, 13 May 2026 Thousands of patients of a Sydney dentist are being urged to get tested for blood-borne viruses amid concerns they may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. Up to 5,000 people are believed to have been potentially impacted after major concerns were raised about infection control practices at a Strathfield dental practice. NSW Health is urging all patients treated by Dr William Tam, who practised at Suite B, 2 Albert Road, Strathfield, to see their GP or healthcare provider to be tested for the viruses as a precaution. It comes as Dr Tam - a now-retired dentist of 25 years - was audited in April after a complaint was made by a patient to the Dental Council of NSW. The audit also raised concerns about patient record keeping.  Dr Leena Gupta, clinical director of public health at Sydney Local Health District said authorities have not been able to contact his patients as there are no records that can be used. 'As a precaution, we are asking all of Dr Tam's previous patients to seek testing for blood-borne viruses,' Dr Gupta said. 'The poor infection control practices at Dr Tam's practice means all former patients may be at low risk of a blood borne virus infection, which can have serious and long-lasting health impacts. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Patients of a r​etired dental practitioner in Sydney may have been exposed to a range of blood-borne viruses (stock image) 'People with HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C may not have any symptoms for decades, so it is important that people at risk of these infections are tested, so that they can access treatment as appropriate. There are effective treatments available for all three conditions.' NSW Health said former patients of Dr Tam who want more information should review the NSW Health FAQs and if they have further questions, to contact their GP or contact Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.  NSW Health confirmed Tam is no longer a registered dentist. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.