Infection control breaches found at Strathfield dental practice
Dental
Published on 13 May 2026
The Dental Council of NSW has carried out an inspection of a dental practice in Strathfield and found breaches of infection control standards and concerns with regards to patient record keeping.
On 24 April Council representatives inspected a clinic run by Dr William Tam, before supporting members of Sydney Local Health District’s Public Health Unit at a second visit a week later.
Following these inspections, the Sydney Local Health District issued a public warning about infection control risks at the dental practice.
NSW Health advises all Dr Tam’s patients that while the risk is low, they may have potentially been exposed and should see their GP or healthcare provider to be tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Further information for patients is available on the NSW Health website.
The Strathfield dental practice has now closed, and Dr William Tam is no longer a registered dental practitioner.
The Dental Council of NSW takes breaches of infection control seriously.
Council representatives can inspect dental practices, regardless of whether a complaint has been made against a practitioner, to confirm compliance with approved standards, codes and obligations regarding infection prevention and control.
The Council’s primary role is to protect the public and under the law it must take action if it believes public safety is at risk. We work together with the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission to manage complaints about registered dental practitioners and students in NSW.
The Council manages complaints about registered dental practitioners’ conduct, performance and health, and ensures practitioners comply with professional standards so they provide safe care to their patients.