Community Update

Dear Community,

At the Family Health Center (FHC), our mission is simple and unwavering – to provide you with the highest-quality healthcare possible. Your safety, your trust, and your well-being are at the center of everything we do. That includes being fully transparent if an issue arises. 

Our Dental Team follows a rigorous 7-step sterilization process for every dental instrument used for every patient. Among the steps is sterilization in an autoclave, an extremely hot medical device designed to eliminate any microorganisms not removed earlier in the process.

We recently discovered that the autoclave may have malfunctioned on November 5, 2025. In our commitment to transparency and patient safety, we notified a broad group of patients who might have received care during a time period recommended by the CDC. 

At present, there is no indication of any health impacts to patients. There is no evidence that equipment was used inappropriately. Also, because none of the dental instruments were used in X-rays or for toddler toothbrush training, there is no risk to those patients. 

We understand that this situation has caused concern for some of you. Please know that we are here to support you in every way possible. We consider this an isolated incident, and we are fully committed to providing any necessary follow-up care.

FHC continues to work closely with the Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services, the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, and the CDC to ensure our processes meet the highest standards. We are also taking additional steps, including enhanced training and safety measures, to ensure this never happens again.

Thank you for your understanding and trust. We deeply value the opportunity to care for you and remain committed to providing the safest, most compassionate healthcare possible.

Yours truly,