Assigning continuing care types

In Dentrix, you can use multiple continuing care types. You can set continuing care defaults for a patient in the Family File as well as select the continuing care types you want to attach to each patient. To learn more, click Continuing care setup.

To assign a continuing care type

1.   Select a patient in the Family File.

2.   In the Family File, click File, point to Switch To, and then click Continuing Care.

The Dentrix Continuing Care window appears with the patient’s name included in the title bar.

Note: If a patient has a procedure entered as completed in the Ledger or the Patient Chart and that procedure already has a continuing care flag, such as Prophy, assigned to it, the continuing care type is attached to the patient automatically.

3.   Double-click the continuing care type that you want to set for the appropriate patient.

The Set Continuing Care dialog box appears.

4.   To set the interval for the patient’s continuing care visit, click the Due Date search button.

The Set Interval dialog box appears.

a.   Change the interval to reflect the amount of time that should elapse between the patient’s continuing care visits. If you want the interval to extend an extra day to prevent insurance billing problems, select  +1 Day.

Note: When you click OK, Dentrix inputs the due date automatically as the interval plus the current date. You can manually enter another date in the New Due Date field if you want to specify a different due date.

b.   Click OK.

5.   Under Prior Treatment, type the date of the patient's last continuing care visit.

Note: Dentrix updates this date automatically once you have seen the patient for the continuing care reason.

6.   Select the continuing care status that you want to assign to the patient from the Status list.

Note: Dentrix primarily uses continuing care status to generate continuing care lists.

7.   Under Provider, select one of the following:

1. Prov1 – Continuing care appointments default to the patient's primary provider.

2. Prov2 – Continuing care appointments default to the patient's secondary provider.

3. Spec – Continuing care appointments default to the provider you specify from the adjacent list.

8.   Under Default Appt. Time, select Time?, or click Set Time to change the default length of time for the continuing care visit.

The Appointment Time Pattern dialog box appears.

a.   In the Total Time units box, click the up arrow to add or the down arrow to subtract a unit of time from the appointment.

b.   Click OK to accept the change.

9.   Under Motivational Note, type a note for Dentrix to print on the selected patient's continuing care cards.

Note: To hide the note, place your cursor at the front of the note and press Ctrl + Enter. Dentrix inserts a hidden symbol into the note. Any text after the symbol will not print on the continuing care card.

10. To set this continuing care type for the selected patient, click OK.