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HIV and dentistry in Australia: clinical and legal issues impacting on dental care
Author(s) -
McLean AT,
Wheeler EK,
Cameron S,
Baker D
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
australian dental journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.701
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1834-7819
pISSN - 0045-0421
DOI - 10.1111/j.1834-7819.2012.01715.x
Subject(s) - medicine , referral , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , life expectancy , intensive care medicine , dental care , hiv diagnosis , antiretroviral therapy , family medicine , viral load , environmental health , population
The number of people in Australia living with HIV is growing. This reflects a consistent rate of new HIV infections combined with an increased life expectancy of people with HIV. Dentists are ideally positioned to identify, manage and treat HIV‐associated oral manifestations and have a responsibility to themselves and to their patients to be up‐to‐date with the evolving area of HIV and related issues. Those issues include medico‐legal implications associated with HIV diagnosis and treatment. This article provides a review of the current clinical and medico‐legal aspects of HIV in Australia. The oral manifestations of HIV can be divided into five categories: microbiological infections (fungal, bacterial and viral); oral neoplasms; neurological conditions; other oral conditions that may be associated with HIV infection; and oral conditions associated with HIV treatment. Current treatment options in the scope of general dental practice are outlined. Medico‐legal issues related to the management of patients with HIV are explored, including rights of the patient regarding disclosure of HIV status; an algorithm for the management of a patient with signs or symptoms indicating possible HIV infection, including referral pathways; and an algorithm for dealing with patient management and referral issues.