Earlier this week VA officials at a hospital in Wisconsin announced they were notifying nearly 600 veterans they may have been infected with HIV and other life threatening diseases while receiving dental treatments.
One dentist in particular reportedly broke known VA protocol and used dirty, unsanitary medical instruments during appointments. When the practice was finally reported by a fill-in assistant, the dentist wasn't terminated but instead moved to an administrative job within the VA system.
Now, StandUnited has launched a petition calling for his termination.
"It is bad enough that this person misused equipment for a year before being reported, but it is insulting that such blatant disregard for human life does not result in immediate dismissal," the petition, which can be signed here, states. "Transferring the dentist to a desk job is an insult to the victims, to veterans, and to the taxpayers who continue to pay this person’s salary. We call for this person's immediate termination."
For years the VA system has been under fire over medical wait times -- resulting in the deaths of thousands of veterans -- unsanitary conditions, unanswered suicide hotlines and overall lack of care and respect.
