title: The HIV positive dentist in the United Kingdom - the dilemma of the undiagnosed clinician.
abstract: This article considers the position of the HIV positive dentist in the United Kingdom who is unaware of their HIV status, or who at least has had no positive HIV test result. It outlines the current UK guidance that relates to HIV positive dentists, and the challenges to those guidelines. It considers how the behaviour of a practising seropositive dentist who has had no positive test result might be interpreted by regulatory bodies and the courts, and highlights the importance of clinicians being fully aware of their HIV status.
authors.affiliation: Head of Service, Cambridge University Dental Service, Cambridge, CB2 1QA, UK. mhw39@cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D003815:Dentists / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / Q000517:prevention & control; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D018580:Mandatory Testing; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013218:State Dentistry / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006113:United Kingdom; D016635:Universal Precautions