Is there an electronic 'dental records' like the NHS medical records?

[Annie364]

I was wondering there is an electronic 'dental records' for each patient, which has everything done to their teeth recorded, like the NHS medical records?

And if so, is it stored electronically and then accessed by your new dentist when you move dentists? I am moving to a new dentist as my old one has retired and shut down his practice. I wonder how my new dentist will know which teeth have root canals done on them for example as some need restoration, or if there is a record of the type of white filling material used on other teeth, as some of my old white fillings were done with a not very good material called Diamond Lite.

And do dentists write down personal things about you on those records as well?

Many thanks.

 

[Gordon]

No, is the short answer. The NHS does store some data on your teeth as they record treatment claims from dentists but that data is not available to anyone outside of the Health Departments.
In the Scottish Public Dental Service, there are computerised records which are available to all SPDS dentists employed within a health board area, but each Health Board has a separate computer system so the data isn't interchangeable.

Recording personal information is not something I did, it's not illegal but mostly we're too busy to be bothered, keeping clinical notes is time consuming enough!

 

[Annie364]

Thanks very much Gordon.
I'm seeing dentists in England. So when I see a new dentist, how does he know what has been done to my teeth, and things like materials used etc?
Is it just a matter of taking an x-ray if needed to check where the root canals were done (they just have white fillings in right now, no restoration), and then for the rest he can visually see which teeth are intact and which have white fillings in them?
And materials used, maybe it does not matter that much?

 

[Gordon]

So when I see a new dentist, how does he know what has been done to my teeth, and things like materials used etc?

Just by looking/taking x-rays. If there's anything they really want to find out, they can always ask the previous practice for a copy of the notes.

Is it just a matter of taking an x-ray if needed to check where the root canals were done (they just have white fillings in right now, no restoration), and then for the rest he can visually see which teeth are intact and which have white fillings in them?

Yep.

And materials used, maybe it does not matter that much?

Doesn't matter much at all.

 

[Annie364]

Thank you Gordon, very much appreciated