Dental Paper Charting?

Question

Hi,

Tomorrow I start a new job as a dental assistant, but have to paper chart. I am used to using the Kodak R4 system and haven't charted on paper before.

The practice I am going to has provided me with information on paper charting, but some things do not make sense, so I'm wondering if someone could help.

Firstly, there looks to a an L (meaning upper left quadrant) and then what looks to be a T. Then, there is another L (UL quadrant) and CE joined together in lower-case handwriting. Also, it lists VMK, but I have never needed to know what is VMK is in the previous practice (it was on the computer but a dentist never asked me to chart it).

I hope someone can help by clarifying the above.

Thank you in advance.

Kind regards.

Answer 1

I'm a dentist.

My practice uses paper charts and film x-rays. It'll be a cold day in hell before I change to paperless. And I'm a young doctor, fairly recently out of school.

Relax. No one is going to give you a hard time while you learn to chart on paper. In fact, the doctor might even feel a little guilty that you're having to learn to use what many consider to be an outdated method!

Answer 2

About a year ago a receptionist in our practice managed to delete all our records. This would have been no big deal if the daily backup had not failed each time for the previous 2 weeks. Can you imagine the chaos?
A paper system, while less Star Trek, is a. quicker b. cheaper. c. isn't affected as easily by dopy receptionists!
VMK, incidentally is a very old system by a German porcelain manufacture and stands for Vita Metallium Keramik if I remember right and is a porcelain fused to metal crown.
Can't help you with the other shorthands.
Some practices hide behind IT systems but it is the quality of the dentist's brain and hands that is the most important factor.
Hope you get on well in your new job.

Answer 3

Get a copy of Levison - the dental nurse textbook. It has all the 'official' standard charting symbols. I take it you aren't a qualified dental assistant then? Don't you need to be studying for a qualification for GDC registration?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Textbook-Dental-Nurses-H-Levison/dp/1405119632/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/026-6292245-3746856?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174907940&sr=8-1

VMK = Porcelain Bonded to Metal Crown
From what you say, the practice does not use the FDI tooth notation. In which case they should be labelling the quadrants;
UL = upper left
UR= upper right
LL= lower left
LR= lower right

When I first started in dentistry (more than 20 yrs ago!) that was the notation used but now I use the FDI. Maybe the 'ce' are deciduous teeth?

Answer 4

Dental Charting Uk

Answer 5

Welcome to the wonderful world of dentistry my fellow aspirating beauty!
I thinks it's great that your paper charting,admittedly my surgery is totally computerised, but I'm so glad i learnt to paper chart first, it really help you when it comes to the national exam, lets face it your not going to have a computer handy on exam day.
Dont get yourself into a panic, just explain to the dentist that you have never paper charted before now and if he/she was really honest they probably dont actually know the symbols correctly themselves.
When i first started nursing one of the other experienced nurses made me up a paper chart complete with all the symbols and abb's, i stuck it up on the wall in my surgery and took it from there.
Dont panic and you'll be fine, honesty is the best policy here, if you dont know what the dentist is saying just let him/her know.
Good luck and i hope you enjoy your first day!

Answer 6

You made a very poor decision by accepting this new job. It sounds like an extremely old-fashioned office and you will probably be miserable. Start looking for an alternative employer in the area that better fits your experience.