Finding a new dental office can leave you with a practical question: how do you bring years of care with you?
You may remember that someone was watching a tooth or that your child found one part of a visit difficult. The exact dates and details may be harder to recall. You should not have to carry the whole history in your head.
Start with the previous office’s contact information, a current medication list, and the questions you want answered. Then ask your new dental team what records it needs and how to arrange the transfer.
Start with a conversation about records
Before your first visit, tell the new office where you last received care. Ask which records would be useful, whether a release is needed, and how the offices should exchange them.
You can also ask your previous team for a summary of any unfinished treatment or areas being monitored. Keep a copy of an existing written treatment plan if you have one.
The new dentist will decide what examination or imaging is appropriate after reviewing your situation. Having previous records available does not guarantee that no additional records will be needed.
The ADA emphasizes keeping your dentist informed about your health and building continuity into dental care. Read its guidance on dental visits.
Make a separate note for each family member
One shared calendar is helpful. One shared dental history is not enough. Give each person a short list of their own concerns, preferences, and next steps.
For example, a parent’s note might mention a tooth being monitored. A child’s note might explain that hearing a description before an instrument is used helps them feel prepared. These are examples of useful context, not instructions for a particular treatment.
Include:
- The name and contact information of the previous dental office.
- Current medicines, supplements, allergies, and health changes to discuss.
- Any unfinished dental treatment or written recommendations.
- Appliances you use, such as a retainer or night guard, and questions about bringing them.
- What has helped make past visits more comfortable.
- The one question you most want answered at the first visit.
Ask the office which information it wants in advance and which items to bring. Use its designated patient-record process for private health information.
Tell the new team what you want to preserve
A good handoff includes more than procedure dates. It can include the way you prefer to receive information.
Would you like the dentist to explain findings before discussing options? Do you prefer to write questions down? Is there a concern you have found difficult to raise in the past?
Tell the team what worked well at your last office. Then name one thing you would like to understand better this time. That gives the conversation a useful starting point. Each office may have its own way of working.
Connect the first visit to the next one
Before leaving, ask what comes next for each family member. Write down the reason for the next visit, the recommended timing, and any information still needed.
If there is a treatment recommendation, ask the dentist to explain it in language you can repeat later. If there are costs to clarify, ask the team before scheduling that care.
The first appointment becomes more useful when you leave knowing where your family stands and what each person needs next.
A dental home in Mapleton
At Mapleton Family Dentistry, Dr. Ben Griffiths and Dr. Dallin Thueson work together within the practice’s longstanding approach to personal, relationship-based care. For a family joining the office, your previous history and your current questions both belong in that conversation.
Save this checklist and add your family’s questions before you call.
Contact Mapleton Family Dentistry to plan your first visit and ask what records to arrange. Let the team know who in your family needs care so they can explain the next steps for each person.