Over 800 patients of Brantford, Ont., clinic reminded to get HIV, hepatitis tests after dentist resigns

Grand Erie Public Health (GEPH) in southern Ontario is reminding former patients of Dr. George Chan Dentistry to get tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. 

According to files from GEPH obtained through a freedom-of-information (FOI) request by CBC News, 884 patients at the Brantford clinic were previously sent letters advising them to get tested due to equipment sterilization lapses. The health unit says only about half of individuals who went to the clinic from Nov. 3, 2021, to Nov. 3, 2025, have completed the recommended testing.

The clinic, at 353 St. Paul Ave, was shut down Nov. 3.

Chan is listed on the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) website as having resigned effective July 2. In an email to CBC News, the RCDSO said his resignation means “he is not entitled to practise dentistry in Ontario.”

Lyn Portelli, a former receptionist at the clinic, told CBC News she is the one who filed a complaint with GEPH on Oct. 29, 2025, after she said she investigated one of the patient rooms on Oct. 28 while she was still employed there. She said it led to GEPH’s investigation, which was carried out by Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC). 

According to GEPH, the investigation found 15 lapses in the disinfection and sterilization of reusable instruments at Chan’s clinic. 

In mid-March, patients began receiving letters from GEPH that were dated Feb. 26, 2026. According to the IPAC report, the patient recall was initiated in March.  

GEPH says on its website that no cases of blood-borne infection have been confirmed to be linked to the dental clinic. 

When CBC News asked if any former patients tested positive for hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV after the initial letter was sent to patients, the health unit said they couldn’t provide case specific details at this time.

Infection rate remains low

The renewed call for testing said the overall risk of infection remains low, but screening is an important part of the ongoing investigation.

“Our priority is to protect the health and well-being of our community through a careful, thorough investigation. We are asking former patients to take this precautionary step not only for their own health awareness, but to help us gather the information needed to guide any further public health recommendations,” says a statement from Jason Malenfant, GEPH’s medical officer of health, on the health unit’s website.

Public Health Ontario told CBC News in an email that the ongoing investigation assesses potential risks, such as the transmission of hepatitis and HIV, along with possible followup measures. 

“Testing provides individuals with information about their health and can determine whether any care or followup may be needed. Even when the likelihood of infection is low, testing can help by providing reassurance,” Public Health Ontario told CBC News in an email.

The reminder, issued on July 7, is the first public call for testing that GEPH has issued.

According to a letter patients received that was signed by Malenfant, patients “may have been exposed to dental instruments that were improperly sterilized. Instruments that are not sterilized correctly and are used during dental care can potentially spread infections, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and, less frequently, HIV.” 

Another letter, which was enclosed with the patient letter, is addressed to health-care providers to outline the recommended testing.

CBC News asked GEPH through the FOI why patients didn’t receive letters until March, when the investigation happened in November. The health unit said patients were notified after a “thorough investigative process, conducted in accordance with internal policies and best practices, to ensure decisions were evidence-based, legally appropriate and protective of public health.”

Where to get testing

People who were at the Chan clinic during the four-year period noted by the GEPH are encouraged to visit their primary-care providers or a walk-in clinic to discuss testing. A GEPH testing requisition form is required.

For those who don’t have a primary-care provider, GEPH says, patients can access care at the Primary Care Access Clinic at 226-388-4725 or by booking an appointment with the Virtual Urgent Care Clinic.