Familiarity with the complexities of record keeping is crucial to each dental office and small business. The dental record, sometimes referred to as the patient chart, is the official document that records diagnostic information, clinical notes, treatment performed, and patient communication.
The dental record serves many purposes:
- To contribute to the best possible care for the patient;
- As a way to communicate to other doctors who will care for that patient;
- As a defense against malpractice allegations;
- To aid in the identification of a deceased or missing person.
State laws and participating provider contracts typically dictate the time requirements that you must maintain the patient record. For most patient records and claims, the minimum is 7 years.
Your practice management software has the ability to easily track most if not all of the documentation on the ADA Business Record Retention List. We recommend consulting with an attorney to establish your own retention schedule.
The ADA has a helpful spreadsheet that you can use as a general guide (page 25).
http://www.ada.org/en/~/media/ADA/Member%20Center/FIles/dentalpractice_dental_records