Oral Health Surveys are a simple but effective means for dental practices to prompt patients for their feelings on the aesthetics of their smile. Once discussed with patients, these surveys often lead to additional cosmetic treatment.

Oral Health Surveys can be conducted from printed forms or by means of Clinipad, and they integrate seamlessly into the appointment workflow manager.

Open

Oral Health Surveys are enabled by default, which causes the appointment workflow Arrivals screen to pop up with a prompt. See Configuring Oral Health Survey settings if you wish to disable this prompt.

Normal Workflow

Reception

Click the patient appointment to open the Arrivals screen.

At top right an Oral Health Survey icon indicates whether the Oral Health Survey is due or not, and whether by Clinipad or by printed form (clipboard icon):

Clinipad, due:  

Open

Clinipad, not due:

 Printout, due: 

 Printout, not due:

The Oral Health Survey checkbox is checked (ticked) as due if

• the patient has never completed this survey before, or

• it has been more than the configured interval since the last survey:

Normal procedure in the Arrivals screen is to Select the Arrive and Send to Clinipad button if you have a Clinipad device functional and available:

... and then issue the appropriate Clinipad to the patient for completion:

Alternatives:

• If the Oral Health Survey checkbox is de-selected (not required) you can still manually select it.

• If no iPads are available, print a form for patient manual completion by clicking the Oral Health Survey hyperlink. The patient takes this form to the Clinic, where the Clinician creates a digital Oral Health Survey and transcribes the information while consulting with the patient

Monitor patient/s Oral Health Survey status by means of the Clinipad tab:

Locate the patient name in the Clinipad tab and click the expander [+].

You'll see icons of the forms that apply to the patient, including one for the Oral Health Survey. Against each form is a status. For example:

Once the patient has completed the Oral Health Survey, check the Clinipad back in.

Oral Health Survey status changes to Needs Consult, which is a cue for the Clinician.

(Receptionist can optionally click this status to view details)

Surgery

Move the patient to the chair.

Open Oral Health Surveys from the Oral Health Surveys tab in the Chart

Discuss Smile and oral health options with the patient. Enter Notes.

Save.

Mark Oral Health Survey as Complete only if no further action is needed (when Complete it becomes read-only).

Create an Oral Health treatment plan if patient agrees.

Complete current treatment.

ALTERNATIVE: In the case of a joint appointment using co-duties, the Oral Health Survey review will be done by the first provider seeing the patient. If that provider is not the dentist, they should notify the dentist when the dentist takes over the patient that there is something to discuss in the Oral Health Survey.

Configuring questions

Questions for Direct Marketing Permission

Oral Health Surveys includes a Permissions question for marketing purposes:

Patient would like relevant information sent to them

Three possible answers:

The question has three possible answers; Yes, No and Unknown:

The default answer is Unknown, so until a patient commits to either Yes or No, the status is considered as Unknown.

By answering Yes to the question patients agree that the practice can send them marketing media.

Contact List of patients with Unknown status:

The Unknown status remains significant however because the practice can run a Query to create a patient Contact List for all patients with the Unknown status.

Optional to include the question

It is optional for the practice to include this question, as defined in the Oral Health Surveys Configuration screen:

Clinician Oral Health Survey with patient:

Contact Lists, Patient Queries for Oral Health Surveys

From EXACT v12.6 it is possible to create finely-tuned Queries and Contact Lists from Oral Health Surveys records.

This is especially useful for creating marketing campaigns based on Oral Health Survey data.

To create an Oral Health Survey Query Template

1. Select Administration from the main menu bar (see image below).

2. In the menu select Contact Lists.

3. Select Create List to open the Create Contact List window.

4. Click the Select a Query Template button.

    

5. In the View Query Templates window, select +1 to open the Add Query Template window (see image below).

6. Type a Description for this Query Template.

7. Click the button Insert a Patient Selection into the list. to open the Insert Condition window.

    

8. In the Select Condition window, select Oral Health Survey (see image below).

9. Select OK.

    

   
   
   

   The Edit Patient Selection window displays.

    

   This has multiple selection options so consider carefully what is required:

    

    

   From this point you can add further parameters or leave them out by means of the checkboxes.

    

    

    

    

10. When your selections are as required, click OK (see image above).

    Your query lists in the Add Query Template window:

     

11. To further fine-tune this template, use the AND / OR to add further queries (see image below).

12. Click OK.

     

     

13. In the Create Contact List window, type a Description for the List (see image below).

14. Add Keywords that relate to this Contact List.

15. Specify whether this Contact List will be used for appointment booking.

16. Select OK.

     

17. Click Yes when EXACT confirms how many patients will apply and asks whether to continue:

     

    The Contacts will display in the Contact Lists screen.

Sample Clinipad Oral Health Survey

Screen keypad:

Issuing a Clinipad Oral Health Survey

1. Click the patient appointment in the appointment book to open the Arrivals screen:

    

2. Establish whether the Oral Health Survey is Due or Not due:Establish whether the Oral Health Survey is Due or Not due:

Normal procedure is to select the Arrivals screen Arrive and Send to Clinipad button if you have a Clinipad device functional and available

1.  

   ... and then issue the appropriate Clinipad (from the appointment book Clinipad tab) to the patient for completion:

    

2. Monitor patient/s Oral Health Survey status by means of the Clinipad tab:

3. Check the Clinipad device back in when the patient has completed the Oral Health Survey.

   This will change the status to Needs Consult.

4. To look at the Oral Health Survey, click the Needs Consult hyperlink.

   NOTE: Receptionists require special system permissions to be able to Complete the Oral Health Survey (completion by default is only performed by Clinicians).

5. The Clinician will move the patient to the Chair, review the survey with the patient and create any required cosmetic treatment plan, for which the Receptionist creates bookings during the patient Departure.

    

Alternative procedures:

Oral Health Survey is not due:

If the Clinipad Oral Health Survey checkbox is de-selected (not required) but you do wish to issue it, you can manually override EXACT by selecting the checkbox:

No Clinipad devices are available:

If no Clinipads are available, print a form for patient manual completion by clicking the Oral Health Survey hyperlink.

Then either

• The Receptionist creates a digital Oral Health Survey and transcribes the written data into it.

• Patients take their completed form to the Clinic, where the Clinician creates a digital Oral Health Survey and transcribes the information during consultation with the patient.

1. Open the patient Arrivals screen as normal.

   In this case EXACT shows the ClinipadOral Health Survey as not being due:

   Icon greyed out:

   Checkbox unchecked :

    

2. Check the checkbox to enable the survey and then proceed as normal

Issuing a PRINTED Oral Health Survey from Reception

To issue a printed Oral Health Survey from the Appointment Arrivals screen

1. Select the appointment to mark the patient as Arrived.

2. The Arrivals screen pops up.

3. Click the Oral Health Survey link to print the form:

    

   (The above screen is for a practice with no Clinipad. A practice with Clinipad would see a Clinipad checkbox below the Oral Health Survey hyperlink)

4. Issue the form to the patient with appropriate instructions.

5. When the patient returns the completed form, the data on this form will need to be captured into the EXACT database.

   This is normally achieved by the Dentist creating a New Oral Health Survey by means of the +1 button in the Oral Health Survey tab in the Chart screen, and then checking boxes and transcribing comments to match the printed form while consulting the patient.

   It could also be done by the Receptionist.

   NOTE: If the patient is not present when this electronic version is created, select the Save button at this time and the survey data will be saved so that it can be reviewed the next time the patient comes in for an appointment.

   The new Oral Health Survey displays as a line in the Oral Health Surveys tab, with a Status of Needs Consult:

    

   The Clinician double-clicks the Oral Health Survey to open it in consultation with the patient.

   After consultation the Clinician selects the Complete button and the Oral Health Survey has the Status of Complete:

    

Transcribing print-form Oral Health Survey data into EXACT

To add the Oral Health Survey data from a printed, manually completed form into EXACT

Create a New Oral Health Survey by means of the +1 button in the Oral Health Survey tab in the Chart screen, then check boxes and transcribe comments to match the printed form 

The completed Oral Health Survey displays as a line in the Oral Health Survey tab:

Note that the Status in the above example is 'Needs Consult'. It will remain this way until the Dentist consults with the patient and selects the Complete button, after which the Status will be 'Complete':

Creating a new Oral Health Survey from the Clinic

Circumstances in which Clinicians may need to create new Oral Health Surveys from the Clinic:

• This could possibly be the standard workflow for your practice.

• The patient may have completed a printed Oral Health Survey, and the Clinician creates the electronic equivalent into which to transcribe the written survey data.

• The patient may have refused the survey in Reception, but had a change of heart when speaking to the Dentist.

To create a new Oral Health Survey from the Clinic

1. For the appropriate patient, select the Oral Health Surveys tab and then click the +1 button at bottom right as follows:

    

2. The Oral Health Survey appears on the EXACT screen:

    

   The last question in this window relates to direct marketing permissions. 

3. Consult with the patient as you complete the form.

   Note the Resolved checkbox for each item. You can check these as a means of managing the "To Do List".

   If you leave items Unresolved, EXACT will warn you when you attempt to Complete the Survey.

   The Save button is a means of saving without Completing.

4. Check that all items are resolved and then select the Complete button to finalise the Oral Health Survey.

   Completed surveys become read-only medical records, so select the Complete button when you are sure that there are no more changes to be made.
   Note however that there is also the option to Reopen the record.

   If you have any items Unresolved (with un-checked Resolved checkboxes), EXACT will prompt for completion:

    

   Once you select Yes, the record in the Oral Health Survey tab shows as Complete:

    

5. View the Survey at any time by double-clicking it in the Oral Health tab.

    

   From this window you can optionally Reopen the Survey to edit it.

   Add Provider Notes if required.

Reviewing the Oral Health Survey with a Patient

To review the Oral Health Survey with a patient

1. Open the Oral Health Survey tab in the Chart screen.

2. Locate and double-click the patient's Oral Health Survey in the Oral Health Survey tab:

    

3. Review and discuss the selected information and the comments:

    

4. Add your own Provider Notes.

5. Use the Save button as a means of saving without completing.

6. Select the Complete button to finalise the Oral Health Survey.

   Completed surveys become un-editable, read-only medical records, so only select the Complete button when you are sure that there are no more changes to be made.

   The record in the Oral Health Survey tab shows as Complete:

    

To view completed Oral Health Surveys

Simply double-click the Oral Health Survey record in the Oral Health Survey tab.

The Oral Health Survey will display with information on who completed it and when:

Showing and Hiding the Oral Health Survey tab in the Chart

NOTE: The tab display is configured per Provider. The Oral Health Survey settings that are accessible from that tab screen apply to the entire practice.

To show the Oral Health Survey tab in the Chart

1. Log in as a dentist and select any Patient in the Patient desktop.

2. In the Chart tab, select the Spanner button at the bottom of the Service List pane:

    

3. In the first page of the Service List Setup Wizard, check (tick) the checkbox for Select which tabs you use in the activity areas and then click Next>>:

    

4. In the next screen,

    

   1. Select Oral Health Surveys in the left pane,

   2. Move it across to either the Upper Tab or the Lower Tab by clicking the appropriate >> button,

   3. Order it for display by means of the Up and Down arrows.

   4. Select Finish.

   You will see the tab displayed in the Chart:

    

5. Select the Oral Health Survey tab to display all Oral Health Surveys that this patient has completed:

    

   Each row displays information:

   • Whether the survey discussions have been completed

   • The date the survey was taken.

   • The survey result.

   • Who collected the data. Either Clinipad or a user if it was done manually.

   • Which provider completed the discussion with the patient.

   • Any comment that the provider entered.

    

   Receptionists normally create Oral Health Surveys, but Dentists have this option as well, by means of the +1 button.

To hide the Oral Health Survey tab in the Chart

Repeat the above process but in the Service List Setup Wizard, move the Oral Health Survey option back to the left pane.

Oral Health Survey Troubleshooting and FAQ

Q: Why does a patient's arrivals dialogue show no Oral Health Survey being due?

A: 1) Patient is under the minimum age - 18yrs default, 2) Patient has had a survey within the configured survey period - 2yrs default, 3) The Patient has no dentist appointment today (default is to not prompt for other providers).

Configuring

This section describes how Oral Health Surveys can be configured and customised.

IMPORTANT: The global settings for Oral Health Survey (applying to all users) are configured from either:

Configure > Appointment Book > Arrival Options button

Any dentist’s Chart screen > Oral Health Survey tab > Configure button > Oral Health Surveys Configuration screen.

Oral Health Survey configuration is possible from two locations:

• Configure > Appointment Book > Arrival Options

• Any dentist’s Chart screen > Oral Health Survey tab > Configure button > Oral Health Surveys Configuration screen.

   

To configure settings for Oral Health Survey

IMPORTANT: These are global settings for Oral Health Survey, applying to all users.

1. Login as a dentist or with Administrator rights.

2. Open the Oral Health Configuration screen from Configure > Appointment Book > Arrival Options

    

3. Configure settings as described below:

Editing Questions

1. Open the Oral Health Configuration screen from Configure > Appointment Book > Arrival Options

    

2. Click the Select questions (spanner button) to open the list of questions.

3. In the list that displays, de-select those that you do not want to include in the survey:

    

4. Select OK, OK.

Adjusting the Survey Due Period and Minimum Age

1. Open the Oral Health Configuration screen from Configure > Appointment Book > Arrival Options

    

2. Modify the default 24 Months setting as require.

3. Modify the 18 Years old setting as required.

4. Select OK.

Configuring a Printable Template

If the practice has no Clinipad module, it is still possible to configure a printable Oral Health Survey by means of Presentation Manager.

Import the Default Oral Health Survey Print Template

1. Go to the Patients desktop and select any patient.

2. Select the Create a Patient Document button:

    

3. (Optional) In the Document details screen, create a Category called Oral Health Survey:

    

4. Select the +1 button to open the Create Template screen.

5. In the Create Template screen,

    

   1. Open the Misc category.

   2. Select the Oral Health Survey template.

   3. Select Import Templates button.

   4. In the Open File dialogue, browse in the Letter Templates > Misc folder for Oral Health Survey.pm and select it.

   5. Select the Open button.

6. This will immediately re-open the Document Details screen, and you'll see Oral Health Survey now listed as the last template on the page. Drag it to the Oral Health Survey folder (if you created one):

    

7. To customise this template, simply double-click it and it will open in Presentation Manager.

   From here you can edit it as for any MS Word document and Save it back into the Document Details screen.

   At this point you haven't yet told Oral Health Surveys to use this template, so you can optionally create multiple custom templates and store them in the Oral Health Survey folder.

8. To inform Oral Health Surveys to use a particular template,

    

   1. (Any Dentist) Open the Oral Health Surveys tab in the Chart tab.

   2. Select the Spanner button.

   3. In the Oral Health Surveys Configuration, select the Browse button alongside Template to use when printing a paper form.

9. This opens the Document Templates screen.

   Locate your template (don't double-click) and then select the OK button at the bottom of the screen.

    

   NOTE: If you double-click the template it will open in Presentation Manager for editing.

   Back in the Oral Health Surveys Configuration you will now see that the template is selected:

    

   Now when you create a printable Oral Health Survey, EXACT will automatically print this template.

Customise a Print Template

1. Ensure that you know which print template to customise. The current template used by your practice is specified in the Oral Health Configuration screen from Configure > Appointment Book > Arrival Options

    

2. Select the Create a Patient Document button:

    

3. This opens the Document Details screen. Locate your template and double-click it:

    

   It will open in Presentation Manager:

    

4. Edit the document as required.

   For example: Select and delete appropriate table rows:

    

5. Save and Close from the left panel:

    

Creating a Standard Procedure for Co-duty Appointments

(This is not an EXACT configuration but a business process)

Providers need to understand the implications of co-duty appointments and a setting option where any Provider can review Oral Health Surveys with patients.

In this case, after patients complete Oral Health Surveys in Reception, they are interviewed by the first Provider with whom they have an appointment. If this Provider is not the Dentist, the Provider needs to inform the Dentist of any dentist implications following the Oral Health Survey review (for example, the Dentist needs to create an Oral Health treatment plan for that patient).

This process could possibly be made a practice standard procedure so that potential business does not slip away.

Configuring Security Settings

Options by practitioner role:

• View Oral Health Surveys

• Complete and Save Oral Health Surveys

• Configure Oral Health Surveys

• Create Oral Health Surveys

Required:

Clinicians who will be Saving and Completing Oral Health Surveys after discussion with the patient must have the appropriate permission set in the Security settings. For example, the role of DENTIST:

To configure Security Settings for Oral Health Surveys

(Requires Administrator privileges)

Set Security per Security Group as follows:

1. Go to Configure > Security...

2. Select a Security Group (e.g. RECEP in the example below)

3. Browse to File > Patients > Chart Tab > View Oral Health Surveys:

    

4. Select or de-select the check boxes and then Save changes.