Hepatitis C: rapid progress in medicine and implications for dentistry

Recent developments in the recognition and diagnosis of the major infectious cause of posttransfusion hepatitis, hepatitis C virus (HCV), have led to an explosion in research. These developments are of relevance to dental providers. Patients may now present to the dentist with a diagnosis of hepatitis C infection and may be undergoing medical treatment for this disease. The risk for transmission of HCV in the dental setting is minimal. The dentist must understand the implications for the diagnosis of HCV for the patient and for the provision of dental care.