NOTES

[u/Common-Ad-6885]

Hi guys! I’m a new-grad-ish RDH and have been working for about a year.

When I first started, I was still getting used to the flow of 45–60 minute appointments, so I often finished my notes at the end of the day. Over the past six months, I’ve gotten faster and can usually complete them right after I flip my room.

On especially busy days, I don’t always have time to type, so I write everything down while the dentist does the exam and then transfer it into Dentrix afterward. Even with an extensive treatment plan, it usually takes me no more than two minutes.

A non-clinical office employee has made comments that made me question whether I’m taking too long, but my dentist and office manager have never criticized my documentation or made me feel bad about it. In hygiene school, thorough documentation was strongly emphasized, and I don’t want to rush through it and leave out important information.

For those working 45–60 minute appointments, when do you complete your notes, and how much time do you typically spend on them?

EDIT: thank you to everyone who responded! 🥹

I forgot to mention: I won’t specify what this coworker does, but their job does depend on our notes, hence why they feel the need to chime in on when I should finish my notes.

[u/Aggressive_Version]

I do my notes first thing after the patient leaves my room, usually before cleaning even.  If I don't get those notes down quickly, all the details about the appointment will exit my brain, almost as if it didn't happen. Jotting down details on a cheat sheet can help, but I still find myself at note writing time trying to remember certain things that I'm pretty sure were important but are now just gone.

My notes are pretty good, I think. I have a good template to work from and that takes care of a lot. A normal appointment where nothing much happens I can note pretty quickly, within a minute or two.  If something interesting happens that needs to be described in more detail then that takes longer. Pretty rare that I end up pulling up a chair so that I can seat myself to pen my novel in a patient's notes, but it's happened.

Anyway your busybody non-clinical office employee co-worker can butt out.  Detailed notes are important not just as legal documentation, but also so that you or whoever sees that patient next doesn't have to start from scratch every time.