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YORK, PA – The Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry voted to indefinitely suspend the dental license of Dr. Jacqueline Marcin after discovering dental tools were not properly sanitized and Marcin instructed her staff to lie to department investigators about the cleaning procedures.
Marcin will not be permitted to practice dentistry until she successfully completes infection-control training and submits a complete criminal record. If she completes the necessary steps, she could have her license reinstated with a minimum of five years probation.
In the meantime, Marcin is working with the Department of Health to notify her former patients of the lapse in infection-control procedures, which puts them at risk of hepatitis B, C and HIV. The Health Department is urging all former patients to be tested for the diseases, and Marcin will foot the bill.
“As a result, the Department of Health is recommending hepatitis B, hepatitis C and (HIV) testing for current or former patients who had dental procedures performed directly by Dr. Marcin, such as fillings, tooth removals, denture fittings and other procedures,” the health department said in a news release.
To date, the Department of Health has received no related reports of disease transmission or illness related to Marcin or her practice.
Marcin employed one full-time hygienist, two part-time hygienists, one dental assistant and one receptionist. The office saw about 35 patients per day, according to published reports.
In addition, Marcin failed to accurately describe her criminal record to the State Board of Dentistry. Marcin was charged with two counts of DUI on Dec. 18 where her blood alcohol level was at least .10 to .16, according to documents filed with the state board. Less than a month later, she filed an online license renewal application with the state Board of Dentistry stating she had no pending criminal charges.
During the 33 years in practice, Marcin has no prior history of complaints, lawsuits or allegations of unprofessionalism, according to published reports.
Prior to her private practice, Marcin practice dentistry as a captain in the Air Force, and honorable discharged in 1995. She opened her private practice in 1994. She also provided free dental services to a local nursing home, specifically to patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
According to the CDC, the national guidelines for dental offices to help prevent the spread of infections include:
- Cleaning and sterilizing all non-disposable items such as dental tools between patients
- Disinfecting surfaces
- Requiring staff members to wear protective gear such as masks, gloves and eye protection
This is not the first time a case of this magnitude. Earlier this year, a Tulsa-based dentist had his license revoked for exposing more than 7,000 patients to deadly diseases. In July 2012, approximately 8,000 Coloradans were notified their dentist had reused needles, potentially exposing them to blood-borne viruses. However, there were no reported infections, according to the CDC. That same month, more than 1,800 veterans who received dental care at a St. Louis VA Medical Center were warned improper cleaning of dental tools may have exposed them to HIV and hepatitis.
About the Raven Maria Blanco Foundation
The Raven Maria Blanco Foundation, Inc. (RMBF) is a non-profit organization founded in 2009, two years after the death of eight-year-old, Raven. Raven’s death was due to complications resulting from a medical emergency. She received three times the average range of sedatives for a child of her weight and height. The office was not prepared to handle the medical emergency. Raven is one of many children who have lost their life in the same manner. RMBF honors all the children who have died from complications during dental procedures as well as the families who are left to endure this tragic loss. In the name of these lives, we dedicate the impassioned pursuit of medical emergency preparedness reform within the dental community. In addition, RMBF helps raise awareness about serious health issues that may occur while at the dentist.