A DENTIST in Bao’an District was fined 2,000 yuan (US$291) for treating a patient without washing his hands after petting a dog, according to sznews.com.

The patient, surnamed Chen, complained that the dentist at a dental clinic in Xin’an Subdistrict had fondled a dog before making an occlusal adjustment for him. Chen said that the dentist only put on rubber gloves without washing his hands.

The dentist said that he thought there would be no problem as long as he wore rubber gloves, adding that he would send away the dog to avoid the same thing happening again.

However, according to relevant rules, medical workers should wash their hands or disinfect their hands before and after diagnosing and treating patients. Those who disobey the rules might endanger their patients by spreading infectious diseases.

The dentist was ordered to remedy his irregularities and pay a penalty of 2,000 yuan by the city’s health authority, according to the report. (Zhang Yang)