Dental records

[candg918]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? OK

Are dentists allowed to refuse to supply or transfer dental records to another dentist? Should I expect to pay to have them copied and should the file include old xrays?

Is there a way to have a review to see if the treatment done was actually required after the fact?

We do not have dental insurance. We have been seeing this dentist for over 20 years but he has recently moved his office and seems to be more agressive about treatment recommendations. Once son was given a recommendation and estimate for over $5,000 of crowns, etc. He was in the process of moving quite a distance and did not have the work done here. The dentist refused to provide xrays to his new dentist. The new dentist found that no work was required. Earlier that year, we paid for nearly $5,000 of work on another child. One tooth was broken so a crown was needed on that tooth but he went on and did another 2 as well. Since there was no question of insurance, there was no outside review. Since we had seen him for such a long time, I did not question his judgment until the incident with the second son. Needless to say, we are changing practitioners. I would like my records moved but have never done so in the past. Is it possible?

Thanks.

[seniorjudge]

Are dentists allowed to refuse to supply or transfer dental records to another dentist? Should I expect to pay to have them copied and should the file include old xrays?

No and yes.

[barry1817]

Originally Posted by candg918

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? OK

Are dentists allowed to refuse to supply or transfer dental records to another dentist? Should I expect to pay to have them copied and should the file include old xrays?

Is there a way to have a review to see if the treatment done was actually required after the fact?

We do not have dental insurance. We have been seeing this dentist for over 20 years but he has recently moved his office and seems to be more agressive about treatment recommendations. Once son was given a recommendation and estimate for over $5,000 of crowns, etc. He was in the process of moving quite a distance and did not have the work done here. The dentist refused to provide xrays to his new dentist. The new dentist found that no work was required. Earlier that year, we paid for nearly $5,000 of work on another child. One tooth was broken so a crown was needed on that tooth but he went on and did another 2 as well. Since there was no question of insurance, there was no outside review. Since we had seen him for such a long time, I did not question his judgment until the incident with the second son. Needless to say, we are changing practitioners. I would like my records moved but have never done so in the past. Is it possible?

Thanks.

You can check with your state dental board about the obligation to provide dental records or to forward them, as the rules may vary in each state.

Where I live records cannot be withheld for any reason, but the office is allowed to charge a reasonable fee for copying them.

personally, I have never had a problem when I have requested records for a patient, and often I have told patients that I would be more than happy to forward to new treating dentist. If there is a problem I would ask your new dentist to request them.

As to finding out that treatment that one dentist decided was needed, and another dentist decided wasn't is great cause for alarm.

Fraud statutes and prosecution for fraud has included instances where unnecessary treatment was performed. In the case of a dentist stating a crown is needed, and another one stating it isn't necessary, that is a very large difference that would have to be explained to me to justify it.

[candg918]

Thank you for your reply.

I only became concern when the dentist would not forward records upon request. The dentist would have been able to do - and did do to one child - the treatment without review since we did not have dental insurance. The new dentist for child #2 would have had to go through a review process since he acquired dental insurance with his new job. The bill went from over $5,000 to $0.

This dentist had treated my family regularly for years; all of a sudden several of us require major treatments immediately. I believe the total cost for one year would have been in excess of $13,000. I have seen a new dentist and his treatment plan for me was less than 1/2 of the old one. The dentist also wanted me to undertake orthodontia; I am nearly 60 and in very poor health.

I will check with the agency about policy. Thank you for directing me to the correct place. At this point while I am suspicious, I only want the records transferred as my new dentist had questions about prior treatment.

Thanks.

[lya]

Originally Posted by candg918

... I only want the records transferred as my new dentist had questions about prior treatment.

You do realize that the records cannot be transferred and that only a copy of your records can be sent to the new dentist; don't you?