The Duty to Treat Asymptomatic HIV-Positive Patients or Face Disability Discrimination Under Abbott v. Bragdon: The Scylla and Charybdis Facing Today's Dental and Health Care Providers

Imagine yourself in the following scenario. You are an experienced dentist with a small private practice, and you routinely accept new patients and referrals. One of your long-time patients is scheduled for a routine tooth cleaning and dental examination. You make every effort to keep updated documentation on your patients, and in that pursuit, you request that the. patient complete a basic written health questionnaire.

In the section relating to medications and relevant medical history, the patient reveals that she is taking medications for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ("AIDS"),' and that she has tested positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus ("HIV-positive").