The Open Dental Chart Module is where your office can document various aspects of patient care as well as access detailed patient information. Read online to find out how you can manage Lab Cases, create Perio Charts, adjust the Chart Module Layout, Chart Treatment, view the Graphical Tooth Chart, create Planned Appointments, review Progress Notes, track Ortho treatment, and view and edit Patient Information and Medical Info.
There’s a lot you can do in the Chart Module. Keep reading to learn more.
Lab Cases
Lab Cases are a great way to track the status of cases and create Lab Slips. See our Lab Cases post for how to set up and use Lab Cases in Open Dental to help you manage cases as they move through the process.
Perio Chart
You can track your patients oral health with the Perio Chart. You can compare and contrast previous exams side by side with their current exam to see progress overtime. The Perio Chart can be found in the Chart Module tool bar.
Be sure to check out our YouTube Playlist on the Chart Module.
TECH TIP: Using the Copy button instead of the Add button. This allows you to create a copy of the previous Perio Exam to work off of, which means less work for you!
Chart Module Layout
By default, the Chart Module is laid out as seen in the first screenshot on this post. Depending on the size of your screen, you may notice some extra space hanging out on the right side. You can utilize the whole screen to its full potential by creating a custom Chart Layout.
As an example, let’s say you want to have the Tooth Chart appear larger or have more space to view Progress Notes. You can create a Chart Layout to customize the look of the Chart Module and maximize the space to work best for you.
Charting Treatment
Use the Enter Treatment tab to chart treatment for your patient. This can include work completed by other providers, work completed by you, treatment planned procedures, referred procedures, and more.
Watch the Clinical Charting I: Entering Treatment webinar for a detailed look at charting treatment for your patient.
Set up Procedure Buttons to quickly chart procedures with a single click! Learn more in our Procedure Buttons, Quick Buttons, and Auto Codes webinar.
Below is a summary of what each of the Chart Module tabs do:
- Use the Enter Treatment Tab to chart procedures for your patient.
- Use the Missing/Primary Teeth Tab to mark teeth as hidden or missing, and set teeth as primary, mixed dentition or permanent.
- Use the Movements Tab to shift, rotate, or tip teeth to match your patient’s current dentition.
- Use the Planned Appts Tab to set up and track a patient’s next appointment for treatment planned procedures.
- Use the Show Tab to filter items that display in the Progress Notes and to use and create Chart Views.
- Use the Draw Tab to make any additional graphics as needed.
- Use the Ortho Tab to chart orthodontic hardware and track ortho treatment progress.
TECH TIP: Charting supernumerary teeth?
For Permanent supernumerary tooth numbers, add 50 to the tooth number (e.g., tooth 1 would become tooth 51). Valid values are 51-82.
For Primary supernumerary tooth numbers, add an S (e.g., tooth A would become tooth AS). Valid values are AS-TS.
Graphical Tooth Chart
The Graphical Tooth Chart allows you to visually see treatment that has been charted for the patient. As treatment is entered, the Graphical Tooth Chart will update to reflect the work charted. The slider under the Graphical Tooth Chart can be used to see treatment over time.
You can make the Graphical Tooth Chart look just like the patient’s current mouth by marking teeth as missing, applying movement and shifting, setting teeth as primary or permanent, drawing to add additional details, and applying ortho hardware.
TECH TIP: The Tooth Chart dropdown can be selected in the Chart Module toolbar to view a big version of the Graphical Tooth Chart or to save a copy of the Graphical Tooth Chart to the Imaging Module.
Planned Appointments
Planned Appointments make it quick and easy for your front desk to set up the patient’s next appointment so they get the care they need in the order needed.
Progress Notes
Progress Notes let you see various items related to the selected patient like Procedures, Appointments, Commlogs, Emails, Lab Cases, Sheets, and more.
Use the Show Tab to determine what information should display in the Progress Notes. Check or uncheck boxes to choose what will show. To make things even easier, you can set up Chart Views to quickly change between views (similar to Appointment Views). For example, your billing staff may not care about procedure notes, and instead only want to see Commlogs and appointments. Your clinical staff may not need to see emails or sheets but will want to see Lab Cases and procedures. Each Chart View can be assigned an F key to quickly switch between views.
TECH TIP: You can print Progress Notes by right-clicking them and selecting Print Progress Notes. What displays in the Progress Notes area is what will print. You can customize what items will display, as well as, limiting items by a date range by selecting the […] button to narrow your dates as shown below.
Ortho
The Ortho Tab provides you with the ability to chart orthodontic hardware and track ortho treatment. By default, there are two tabs that show, the Hardware tab and the Ortho Chart tab. However, you can create and customize additional Ortho Chart tabs as needed. You can find more information about setting up and customizing Ortho features here: Ortho Setup.
Patient Information
The Patient Information section allows you to see certain patient details and medical information at a glance. This section can be customized to display different fields by going to Setup, Display Fields, then selecting Chart Patient Information.
You can double-click into the pink area to access the Medical window. This is where the patient’s medical history, including problems, medications, allergies, detailed notes, and more can be added.
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Have any tips or tricks you’ve found in the Chart Module? Comment below. If you need help with anything in the Chart Module, reach out anytime.
Information in this post reflects features available in Open Dental Version 24.1. For the most up-to-date information, please visit our manual.