Sharing dental records: organise before you send
Create a simple record list, confirm the recipient and ask for an agreed sharing method before sending dental documents to a new care team.
When a new care team asks for records, organisation can be as useful as the files themselves. Start with a list of what you already have, where it came from and the date it was created. The aim is to help the receiving team identify the information, not to interpret clinical findings yourself.
Ask the organisation that holds the records
NHS England explains that requests for copies should be made to the organisation holding the records, such as a dental practice. If your records come from another healthcare system, ask that provider about its own request process. Confirm what can be supplied and the expected format before promising a delivery date to the new team.
Make a small index
- The document or image type and its date.
- The name of the practice or provider that created it.
- The language of any accompanying report.
- Whether you have the original file or only a photograph of a page.
- Any question about a missing document that the receiving team should clarify.
Confirm the recipient and method
Ask the care team exactly which documents they require and how they should be transferred. Check the recipient’s identity and the address or service you have been given. Keep clinical files out of a general website enquiry field, and do not send another person’s information without appropriate permission.
Keep a record of what was shared
Retain your own copies and note when each item was sent. Ask the receiving team to confirm that the files can be opened and matched to the correct person. Questions about whether a record is current or sufficient belong with the clinician reviewing it.
