Documentation & Health Records Flashcards

Which identifying information must be on a radiograph or its digital file?

Answer: The patient's name and date of exposure

Patient name and exposure date are essential identifiers, along with the practice information.

What is the minimum recommended retention for adult patient dental records in many states?

Answer: Several years, often 5 to 10 or more depending on state law

Retention periods vary by state, typically many years, and longer for minors.

How long must records for a minor generally be retained?

Answer: Until the age of majority plus the statutory period

Minors' records are usually kept until they reach majority plus the state's retention period.

Which of the following is a proper way to mount a film so that it reads as the dentist's view?

Answer: Raised dot toward the viewer, as if looking at the patient from the outside

Labial mounting places the raised dot toward the viewer so the image shows the patient as seen from the front.

Which record best shows that dental x-ray equipment is performing safely over time?

Answer: A log of equipment inspections, calibration, and maintenance

Maintenance and inspection logs document ongoing compliance with safety regulations.

Personnel monitoring records, such as dosimeter reports, should be handled how?

Answer: Kept as permanent or long-term records and made available to the worker

Occupational dose records must be retained and the individual has the right to review them.

Which entry belongs in the clinical notes after taking a bitewing series?

Answer: The type of images, findings reviewed, and the operator's identification

Notes should capture what was taken, the findings, and who took the images.