As new patients come to your practice, you can add them to your practice database. If the new patient has an appointment scheduled, he or she already has a patient record with some basic information entered. However, for these new patients with appointments, you can enter additional information, such as a home address, an insurance plan, and a referral source, to complete their records.
To add a patient record
To verify that a patient does not already exist in your practice database, click (or tap) in the Patient Search box; start typing a patient's first name, last name, chart number, or phone number (at least the first four digits); and continue typing as needed to narrow the search results list.
Alternatively, you can click (or tap) Create New Household to add records, at one time, for the patient and members of the same household. These options are available only when what you have entered in the search box narrows the results list enough.
Note:
Important: If the person appears in the results list with a "New" next to his or her name, this patient already has a patient record. Do not add a patient record for this patient. (Ignore the steps that follow.) This patient's record exists because he or she has a new patient appointment scheduled. However, the record contains only minimal information currently, so you can click (or tap) the patient's name to update his or her record.
The Create Patient page opens.
Enter the patient's basic information.
Name - Enter the patient's first and last name and middle initial.
Notes:
By default, the First Name box contains what you entered as your search criteria in the Patient Search box, so you may need to change it.
After you enter the patient's first and last name and birth date, if there are any other patients in your database who have the same name and birth date, a list of those possible duplicate patients appears below the other options on the page. If the patient already has a record, do not continue creating a new patient record; instead, click (or tap) the correct patient in the list to open that patient's record.
Preferred Name - The name the patient prefers you use when addressing him or her. The preferred name can also be used on correspondence from your office.
Title - Enter a prefix for the patient's name, such as Dr., Mr., Ms., or Mrs.
Suffix - Enter a suffix for the patient's name, such as Jr., Sr., or III, if applicable.
Gender - Select the patient's gender.
Birthdate - Enter the date of the patient's birth.
Status - The patient's status is New by default, but you can select a different status (such as Active or Non-Patient) as needed. The status changes automatically from New to Active when the status of the patient's first appointment is changed to Complete or when a procedure is posted for the patient.
Chart # - Enter a unique chart number (up to 10 characters in length; letters, numbers, periods, and dashes are allowed) for the patient. Alternatively, to have a chart number automatically generated for the patient, after you have entered the patient's first and last name, click (or tap) the Update button
.First Visit - This is the date of the patient's first visit. This date is for reference only and cannot be edited. This date is updated automatically when you post a completed procedure for a new patient.
Last Visit - This is the date of the patient's most recent past appointment. This date is for reference only and cannot be edited. This date is updated automatically when you post a completed procedure for a patient.
Primary Provider - Select the preferred or primary provider for this patient. Only providers who have access to the patient's preferred location are available.
Discount Plan - Select a fee schedule to use for treatment-planned procedures and charges that are billed to this patient if the patient does not have third-party coverage. The difference between the provider's fee for a given procedure (or if there is no provider fee, the default fee) and the discount fee appears as a credit adjustment on the ledger. However, if the patient has third-party coverage, the selected discount fee schedule is ignored.
NHS Patient - To specify that this patient is an NHS (National Health Service) patient, select this check box. With this check box selected, additional options are available.
Set up any of the following options:
NHS Number - Enter the patient's 10-digit NHS number.
National Insurance Number - Enter the patient's nine-digit alphanumeric National Insurance (NI) number.
Exemption - If the patient is exempt from being charged for dental treatment, select the applicable reason. The selected exemption will be the default selection for NHS claims that you create for this patient, but you can change the exemption on a claim as needed.
With an exemption selected, the Supporting Details box is available. Enter details to help substantiate the exemption. You can enter up to 50 characters. The supporting details that you enter will be the default supporting details for NHS claims that you create for this patient, but you can change the supporting details on a claim as needed.
Ethnicity - Select the patient's ethnicity or Not stated. The selected ethnicity will be the default selection for NHS claims that you create for this patient, but you can change the ethnicity on a claim as needed.
Household - To populate the address and primary phone number for the patient with that of another patient of record, in the Use contact information of the household box, begin typing the name of a patient, continue typing as needed to narrow the results list, and then select the name of the patient who is or has the primary contact that you want to associate with the patient whose record you are adding.
Address - Enter the street address, city, state, and postal code of the patient's residence. All correspondence will be sent to this address unless the patient is not the guarantor; in which case, bills, account statements, and other financial documents will be sent to the address listed for the patient's guarantor. By default, the address of the patient's primary contact, if that is someone other than the patient whose record you are adding, is entered.
Phone number - Select a phone type (Home, Mobile, Work, or Other), and enter the correct Number and Ext (if applicable) for the patient.
To add another phone number for the patient, click (or tap) Add Phone.
Tips:
To copy the phone number of another household member to this patient's record, click (or tap) in one of the phone number boxes, and then click (or tap) the Copy button
of a household member. Only the first (primary) phone number of the primary contact and other household members (if different) are available.
To change the priority of the patient's phone numbers, click (or tap) the Move Up button
of the phone number that you want to move up in the list. To remove a phone number from the patient's record, click (or tap) the Remove button 
of that phone number. These buttons are not available for the first (primary) phone number.
If you enter a mobile phone number for the patient and then click (or tap) Save, below that phone number, the text Automated Text Reminders appears along with a status message (Yes or Carrier not Supported) to indicate that the number you entered has been verified as either a supported or unsupported mobile phone number.
If the patient already has a mobile phone number entered, the status message next to the Automated Text Reminders text for that number can be, in addition to Yes or Carrier not Supported, No if the patient is the primary contact for himself or herself or for anyone else and has been opted out of receiving automated text message reminders (any other patients who have this patient as their primary contact have also been opted out).
The patient's text message reminder status also appears in the upper-right corner and on the Contact Info tab of the Appointment Information panel that appears when you click (or tap) any of that patient's appointments on the schedule.
Once a supported mobile phone number is entered, and the patient's record is saved, the patient is automatically opted in to receiving automated text message reminders. Any other patients who have this patient as their primary contact or who have the same mobile number as this patient entered in their patient records are also automatically opted in. However, if the patient has someone else as his or her primary contact, the patient will receive text messages only if the patient's primary contact has a supported mobile phone number and that person is opted in.
If you do not have patient consent, or a patient informs you that he or she no longer wants to receive text messages, turn off reminders for the patient by selecting Home as the patient's phone number type instead of Mobile. Patients who have consented may also opt-out by texting STOP to 45827 from their mobile phones. Any other patients who have this patient as their primary contact or who have the same mobile number as this patient entered in their patient records are also opted out.
Email - Enter the patient's email address. The email address must be unique across your entire organisation (for all patients in all locations).
Note: If the patient has someone else as his or her primary contact, the email address of the primary contact will be used for this patient, but you can enter a different, unique email address for this patient if necessary.
Click (or tap) Save.
All the tabs for entering patient information become available.
Enter or edit patient information on the following tabs as needed:
(see steps 3 - 4)
Related Patients
Related Patients tab
Primary Contact - To change the primary contact person for the patient, click (or tap) Edit
. In the search box, begin typing the contact's name, continue typing as needed to narrow the results, and then select the appropriate name from the list of matching results. Or, to make the patient whose record you are viewing the primary contact, click (or tap) Switch to "Self" at the bottom of the results list.
Note: If the primary contact is someone other than this patient (not "Self"), the name and Preferred Contact Method of the patient's primary contact appear on the Patient Information ribbon.
Add New Member - To add patient records, at one time, for others members of the same household as the current patient, click (or tap) Add New Member.
Note: A household is a group of patients who have the same primary contact person. The complete list of household members is available when you are viewing the patient record of any member of a given household.
Secondary Contact - To add a secondary contact person for the patient, click (or tap) Add Secondary Contact. In the Select Patient box, begin typing the contact's name, continue typing as needed to narrow the results, and then select the appropriate name from the list of matching results.
Primary Guarantor - To change the primary person who is financially responsible for the account, click Edit
. In the search box, begin typing the guarantor's name, continue typing as needed to narrow the results, and then select the appropriate name from the list of matching results. Or, to make the patient whose record you are viewing the primary guarantor, click (or tap) Switch to "Self" at the bottom of the results list.
Note: If the current patient is the guarantor, that patient and all patients for whom that patient is the guarantor appear in the list. If the current patient is not the guarantor, only the guarantor and the patient appear in the list.
Secondary Guarantor - To add a secondary person who is financially responsible for the account, click (or tap) Add Secondary Guarantor. In the Select Patient box, begin typing the secondary guarantor's name, continue typing as needed to narrow the results, and then select the appropriate name from the list of matching results.
Medical Alerts
Medical Alerts tab
Click (or tap) Add Medical Alert to attach medical alerts to the patient's record.
Preferences
Preferences tab
Set up the following options:
Preferred Contact Method - Select whether the patient prefers to be contacted by phone, text message, or email message. For Call me, you must enter a phone number in the box that appears if a phone number is not already entered for the patient (if it is not already, this phone number will be made the first listed phone number for the patient). For Text me, you must enter a mobile phone number in the box that appears if a mobile phone number is not already entered for the patient (if it is not already, this mobile phone number will be made the first listed phone number for the patient). For Email me, you must enter an Email address in the box that appears if an email address is not already entered for the patient. These options are available only if the patient is his or her own primary contact. Currently, this information is for reference only.
Notes:
If someone else is this patient's primary contact, the preferred contact options are not available because the patient's preferred contact method is that of the primary contact, but you can click the name of the primary contact person shown to go to his or her patient record to view or change the preferred contact method for that patient.
The selected preferred contact method appears on the Patient Information ribbon, which is available when you are viewing the patient's record.
If someone else is this patient's primary contact, the name and preferred contact method of the patient's primary contact appear on the Patient Information ribbon. Similarly, if this patient is the primary contact for someone else, this patient's name and preferred contact method will appear on the other patient's Patient Information ribbon.
The preferred contact method is not associated with and, therefore, does not determine whether the patient will receive automated reminders as text messages or as email messages.
Automated Reminders - Select Yes or No to indicate that the patient (any other patients who have this patient as their primary contact) will or will not receive automated text message reminders for appointments and recall. These options are available only if a supported mobile phone number has been entered (on the Basic Info tab) for the patient and the patient is the primary contact for himself or herself or anyone else.
Notes:
Automated text message reminders for this patient (and any other patients who have this patient as their primary contact) will be sent to the mobile phone number displayed. If the patient has more than one mobile phone number, the first one listed (on the Basic Info tab) for the patient will be used for the automated text message reminders.
If No is already selected, the date that the patient was last opted out appears for your reference next to the No option. Either someone in your office opted the patient out, or the patient texted STOP to 45827 from his or her mobile phone. Any other patients who have this patient as their primary contact or who have the same mobile number as this patient entered in their patient records have also been opted out.
If Yes is already selected, and then you select No and click (or tap) Save, the patient is opted out, and the current date appears next to the No option as the opt-out date. Also, a text message, stating that the patient has been opted out, is sent to the patient's mobile phone. Any other patients who have this patient as their primary contact or who have the same mobile number as this patient entered in their patient records are also opted out. The primary contact can resume receiving text messages for the entire household by texting RESUME to 45827.
Preferred Language - Select the patient's preferred language. English is the default. If the preference is a language other than English, the selected language appears on the Patient Information ribbon, which is available when you are viewing the patient's record. Currently, this information is for reference only.
Preferred Location - Select the office that the patient prefers to receive treatment at. A matching patient will appear in the results list of a patient search box throughout Dentrix Ascend if that patient's preferred location is in a location to which your user account has access unless you use the advanced search functionality. Other than for patient searches, currently the preferred location is for reference only.
Preferred Appointment Day/Time - Select the check boxes that correspond to the days of the week and/or times that the patient prefers to have his or her appointments. The days that are available correspond to the working days set up on your practice's schedule. The selected preferred appointment days and times appear when you are scheduling an appointment for the patient, so you can offer those times to the patient. Currently, this information is for reference only.
Click (or tap) Save.
Referrals
Referrals tab
In the Referred By search box, enter all or part of the name of the referral source (patient, professional, marketing, or other) that referred this patient to your practice, and then click (or tap) the appropriate source's name in the list of matching results that appears.
Notes
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