Philadelphia health officials are warning some patients of Smiles At Rittenhouse Square to get tested for hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV after state investigators found infection-control failures at the Center City dental practice. The warning applies to people who received dental work there from April 2025 through May of this year.

The city said it believes the risk of infection is low, but it is still urging patients to act quickly. Officials said they are working with the clinic to build a list of people seen over the last year and will send letters spelling out each person’s level of exposure risk, testing recommendations and information about city clinics and other places where testing is available.

The state suspended the license of dentist Dr. Kitri Chopra last week after an in-person unannounced investigation in March found multiple lapses at the practice, also known as Smiles on the Square. Investigators said vials containing local anesthetic medication were reused across multiple patients even though the products were meant for single use. State officials also accused Chopra and the practice of leaving saline bags used for implant procedures in place between patients until the bags were empty.

Investigators further found that the clinic used a cleaning method for dental instruments known as flash sterilization in a way they said was not viable and was not consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. Attorneys for the state’s Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs said in filings that reuse of the vials could expose later patients to hepatitis C, hepatitis B, human immunodeficiency virus and other pathogen transmissions. Regulators concluded that Chopra represented an immediate and clear danger to public health or safety.

Philadelphia Department of Public Health officials said they are not aware of any infections as a result of the unsafe practices. Chopra is cooperating with city health officials and state regulators on patient notification, testing recommendations and any required infection-control remediation. The city’s letter campaign will determine who needs follow-up and how urgently, but officials have already made clear the warning is precautionary rather than evidence of a known outbreak.

The case underscores how quickly a routine dental visit can turn into a public health review when sterilization and medication handling break down. For patients treated at Smiles At Rittenhouse Square over the last year, the next step is simple: watch for the letter, and if it arrives, get tested.