Open Dental Forum

Dear all,

I recently updated to 5.4.3 version of Open Dental. I remember during previous versions that you could immediately add the referral dentist of the patient when adding a new patient, or editing the patient information at a later time.

Using the new version you can add the referral dentist at Family tab (double clicking on the "referred from" at the table).

Is there an option that I should enable to make it possible to add the referral dentist at the edit patient information window or is it something that was changed in the new version?

Attached is the edit patient information window that I see using OD.

Thanks again for the great software and all the previous help.

Nicos Christodoulides, DDS, MSc
Nicosia-Cyprus

I hope it can still be added there. We strive to record the referral at the time the rest of the information on that screen is typed in. Im sure someone will let us know the answer.

No, it's not in that window any longer. It's still just as easy to enter it from the main window.

I seem to be lost on this. I can't find where to lunch it from. Manuals referring to the old screens.

you double click on the referral listing in the main family file screen...

Jordan...maybe something to add would be a button to access the new referral windows from the patient edit window...so it would be easier for everyone to find it who are used to it being on the family edit window.

added it to v5.5

Im using 5.5.9 and still not able to easily add the referral from the new appointment screen. I thought it was added back to that screen in 5.5 and it is certainly important information that we ask after the patients name. We always like to know where the patient was referred from and usually enter it before the patients address.

Hope it gets added back so it is one less thing that the font desk will have reason to forget to enter.

After Dr Fuchs added it back, we had a debate over this. Let me try to explain why I pushed for removing it again.
1. There's not really room.
2. It's not a good idea to have one window for editing multiple object types. The patient edit window should just edit that database table. It significantly increases the chance of a bug to ignore this guidline.
3. We have a planned solution which is even better.
4. The staff can still easily add referrals until the aforementioned feature is built.

My main problem was with #2. It could still be added if enough effort was put into making sure it didn't cause a bug. But there are other priorities at the moment.