Sir, having been forced to give up my career in general practice in April 2008 following being diagnosed as HIV positive, I follow with interest the latest developments relating to the subject of HIV positive dentists in the UK and the current Department of Health policy, brought into being in 1991, that prevents dentists like me from performing any clinical work that is classified as being an Exposure Prone Procedure (EPP).

Knowing, and very much fearing, the fate of dentists in the UK who become HIV positive together with my desire to continue to work in my chosen profession, I attempted to keep my diagnosis a secret and continued to practise for some months after finding out my status. I was very well aware that I was going against current guidance by doing so and knew that this guidance stated that 'HIV infected healthcare workers must not rely on their own assessment of the risk they pose to patients'. However, I was also very much aware that I was not the only HIV positive healthcare worker who kept the same secret. I personally knew of several other EPP-performing healthcare workers, including dentists, who did the same. Indeed, the off-the-record advice given to me immediately after my diagnosis from one acquaintance, a consultant in HIV medicine, was to 'keep your head down and don't tell anyone.'

However, my plan to keep my status hidden was short lived after someone that I trusted with my secret passed the information to a national newspaper. I was confronted by the local Consultant in Communicable Disease Control with the allegation and I admitted my status. A sensationalised story in the newspaper quickly followed, disclosing my full identity and photograph, followed by my inevitable summoning before the GDC Professional Conduct Committee.

The case, which was held in private, was eventually concluded in July with me being fully restored to the register without conditions. In its determination, the committee, having been informed by expert opinion that supported my ability to practise as an HIV positive dentist with no risk to patient safety, stated:

'The committee accepts that that the risk of transference of the HIV virus (from infected dentist to patient) is regarded by contemporary medical opinion as negligible, provided appropriate safeguards are in place.'

Of course, I'm still expected not to practise any dentistry in the UK that is regarded as exposure prone; however, given that the GDC now accepts evidence that an HIV positive dentist can practise safely, as they can do in the USA, Australia and much of Europe (where I could practise without restriction), it is very disappointing that the UK continues to adopt this zero-tolerance policy towards HIV positive dentists performing EPPs.

Contemporary cross infection control measures along with highly effective treatment for HIV infection which reduces blood viral levels to below detectable levels supports the existing worldwide epidemiological evidence that HIV positive dentists pose a negligible HIV infection risk to patients. It is extremely distressing that I continue to be considered a threat to public health in doing the job that I trained hard for and one which I love and miss very much. Being HIV positive has resulted in my skills being wasted and it is frustrating that increasing evidence and expert opinion states that this needn't have happened. I have found that redeployment opportunities for HIV positive dentists in the UK to non-clinical roles within dentistry are sadly lacking and I wonder what influence the current policy is having on this situation in its potential to perpetuate stigma and facilitate discrimination against dentists like me. Despite my situation, I continue to pay my annual fee to the GDC and remain on the register as a redundant HIV positive dentist unable to make a living from my profession. Knowing first hand their opinion on the matter from my own conduct case, I urge the GDC to take a bold arms-length stand against the current Department of Health policy and take action to end this needless waste of a valuable healthcare resource.