# Can you move your dental records from one dentist to another



## agencydude (31 May 2010)

Hi 
I've been with a dentist for 20 years or more.
When I phone the dentist to make an appointment I'm told the surgery is now closed and I'm given a phone number to ring another surgery.

When I ring this surgery to make an appointment I ask can they get the records from the original surgery.
I'm told they're not going to do that and I'll be starting from scratch in this other surgery.
Surely I'm entitled to get my dental records and bring them to another dentist as I've paid for them over the years.

Has anyone any experience doing this? If so how did you go about doing it?


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## pudds (31 May 2010)

I'm glad you brought this up as I'm in the same boat (want to move) but haven't got round to it yet.   I had a full xray with my present dentist and don't want to go through more un-necessarily if I move.

Our GP's records... on request...can and are forwarded on so I'm  guessing Dentist's are obliged to do the same. Maybe someone can confirm this.
.


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## ibaraki (1 Jun 2010)

Yes you can.  I just rang up my old dentist and he sent me on my x-rays and a photocopy of my file.  That dentist was an extremely sound guy, so not every dentist may be so willing.

However, the new dentist may want to re-take some x-rays if the previous ones from your old dentist are 'out of date'


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## pudds (2 Jun 2010)

ibaraki said:


> Yes you can.  I just rang up my old dentist and he sent me on my x-rays and a photocopy of my file.  That dentist was an extremely sound guy, so not every dentist may be so willing.
> 
> However, the new dentist may want to re-take some x-rays if the previous ones from your old dentist are 'out of date'




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so not every dentist may be so willing.
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yeah I fear this may be the case met by a lot of people and wonder what can one do in that situation!


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## annet (3 Jun 2010)

*Records*

I would have thought that continuity of care is as important for dentists as it is for doctors.  

Anyway, all patients have the right to access their own medical records and this can be through FOI if it is a public body or through Data Protection for public and private bodies.  

If the dentist is unwilling for some reason to give access to the records, I'd then look for access under Data Protection legislation.

I would also check out the position of the Irish Dental Association on this issue, and whether Dentists have a code of conduct or ethical guide.


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## Plek Trum (3 Jun 2010)

I would imagine that a dentist would be obliged to keep a copy of your records for a certain number of years and that if you switched / moved dentists, they could copy same for you but it may incur a fee for admin purposes? 

 X-rays and dental records are extremely valuable for ID purposes should you 'go missing' (god forbid!) and for this reason I can understand why Dentists may be reluctant from a legal standpoint to just hand them over.  IDA is best port of call for clarification > www.dentist.ie


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## Towger (3 Jun 2010)

This brings a smile to my face. Almost 10 years ago our beloved government/Health Boards/HSE spent millions (and last I heard are still spending to maintaining the system) on a project to computerise/centralise all the dental records for the Health Clinics. Needless to say the system was never used... Yawn....


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## Green (3 Jun 2010)

annet said:


> Anyway, all patients have the right to access their own medical records and this can be through FOI if it is a public body or through Data Protection for public and private bodies.
> 
> If the dentist is unwilling for some reason to give access to the records, I'd then look for access under Data Protection legislation.
> 
> I would also check out the position of the Irish Dental Association on this issue, and whether Dentists have a code of conduct or ethical guide.


 
Its nothing to do with the IDA, they are the dentists union. If you don't get any contact contact the Dental Council, they deal with complaints/issues against dentists and also draft the dental ethics. Links to both are below. You should find that if a dentist is contacted by the Dental Council they move sharpish enough.. 


http://www.dentalcouncil.ie/contactus.php

http://www.dentalcouncil.ie/g_dentalethics.php


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## Green (3 Jun 2010)

Plek Trum said:


> I would imagine that a dentist would be obliged to keep a copy of your records for a certain number of years and that if you switched / moved dentists, they could copy same for you but it may incur a fee for admin purposes?


 
Extract from Dental Council dentists ethics below:

"Dentists have a duty to maintain adequate and accurate records of all matters relating to their treatment of patients. These records should be kept in a secure location and retained for a reasonable period, not likely to be less than ten years, before being destroyed."


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## annet (4 Jun 2010)

*Thanks*



YOBR said:


> Its nothing to do with the IDA, they are the dentists union. If you don't get any contact contact the Dental Council, they deal with complaints/issues against dentists and also draft the dental ethics. Links to both are below. You should find that if a dentist is contacted by the Dental Council they move sharpish enough..
> 
> 
> http://www.dentalcouncil.ie/contactus.php
> ...


 
Thanks for clarifying.

A.


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