A report by the state Health Department says 15 patients of a Morris County dentist developed infections that forced 12 of them to undergo heart surgery and led to one death.

The report released last month says the patients went to John Vecchione in 2013 and 2014. Vecchione has offices in Budd Lake and Parsippany.

After state health officials were notified of three cases in 2014, they found multiple safety breaches including the use of single vials of medication for multiple patients and the storage and use of unwrapped syringes.

Vecchione is still practicing. Health officials say he's agreed to make numerous changes.

The parents of one patient who was sickened say they question why the public wasn't notified earlier.

Vecchione was not immediately available to comment on the report.