Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/boundvolumes/524bv.pdf
Page Number: 674

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Unit: $U96

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Cite as: 524 U. S. 624 (1998)

629

Opinion of the Court

patient registration form. Petitioner completed a dental
examination, discovered a cavity, and informed respondent
of his policy against ﬁlling cavities of HIV-infected patients.
He offered to perform the work at a hospital with no added
fee for his services, though respondent would be responsible
for the cost of using the hospital’s facilities. Respondent
declined.

Respondent sued petitioner under state law and § 302 of
the ADA, 104 Stat. 355, 42 U. S. C. § 12182, alleging discrimi-
nation on the basis of her disability. The state-law claims
are not before us. Section 302 of the ADA provides:

“No individual shall be discriminated against on the
basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the
goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or ac-
commodations of any place of public accommodation by
any person who . . . operates a place of public accommo-
dation.”

§ 12182(a).

The term “public accommodation” is deﬁned to include the
§ 12181(7)(F).
“professional ofﬁce of a health care provider.”
A later subsection qualiﬁes the mandate not to discrimi-

nate.

It provides:

“Nothing in this subchapter shall require an entity to
permit an individual to participate in or beneﬁt from the
goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages and
accommodations of such entity where such individual
poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.”
§ 12182(b)(3).

The United States and the Maine Human Rights Commis-
sion intervened as plaintiffs. After discovery, the parties
ﬁled cross-motions for summary judgment. The District
Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, holding that respond-
ent’s HIV infection satisﬁed the ADA’s deﬁnition of disabil-
ity.
912 F. Supp. 580, 585–587 (Me. 1995). The court held
further that petitioner raised no genuine issue of material
fact as to whether respondent’s HIV infection would have