Philadelphia health officials urge hepatitis testing after dentist suspension

Philadelphia health officials urged anyone treated at Smiles at Rittenhouse Square, also known as Smiles on the Square, to contact a healthcare provider for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV testing after state regulators temporarily suspended the dentist’s license over unsanitary practices.

The clinic, at 255 South 17th Street, #2507, Philadelphia, PA 19103, is now closed. City officials said the risk of infection was believed to be low and that they were not aware of any infections linked to the practice, but they still recommended testing because patients may have been exposed to serious blood-borne diseases.

Health officials said they were working with the clinic to identify everyone seen there between April 2025 and May 2026. Those patients are expected to receive letters explaining the situation, including their potential exposure, where they can go for testing and a letter they can bring to a healthcare provider.

The case turned on infection-control failures serious enough to prompt a temporary suspension by the Pennsylvania Department of State. Local reporting identified the dentist as Dr. Kirti Chopra. Investigators reportedly made an unannounced visit on March 25, 2026, and a suspension order was filed May 15, 2026. State documents said the office reused single-use items such as saline bags and Septocaine vials and did not properly sterilize instruments.

NBC10 reported that James Garrow, deputy director for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, said the number of potentially affected patients could be in the hundreds. That scale helps explain why the city moved quickly to issue a broad public warning rather than waiting for proof of transmission. In situations involving blood-borne pathogens, public-health officials often act on exposure risk, not confirmed infection, because hepatitis and HIV can spread silently before symptoms appear.

The health department opened a hotline at 215-685-5488, available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. City staff said they will work with clinic staff to update infection-control practices and re-educate them, while the Pennsylvania Department of State conducts a separate investigation.

The practice will not be allowed to reopen until officials are satisfied that the unsafe practices have been remedied and the dentist’s license has been reinstated. Pennsylvanians can also check disciplinary history and current license status through the Pennsylvania Licensing System, a reminder that oversight records are public for a reason: patients depend on them long before an infection becomes visible.