Should all forms be digital?

It can make up one of the most forgettable elements of the dental appointment for patients, or one of the most irritating for the dental team.

A patient simply signs a consent form to confirm that their health hasn’t changed significantly since their last visit and they’re happy for the clinician to assess their oral health.

Those sitting in the waiting room likely won’t think about how they sign the form, be that using a ball point pen or on a practice’s tablet, or even their own phone.

However, this change can mean a lot for the dental team, clinician, and potentially other healthcare professionals too. This is all to do with the management of patient data, and the ability to have high-quality information at hand when clinical decisions are made – a key factor in safe and efficient patient care.[i]

Dental professionals need to recognise how they can safely store digital patient information, and how documents such as consent forms can be managed with modern technology.

Always on hand

The need for up-to-date information on a patient’s previous health history is paramount in every form of care. In 2021, NHS England found that many dental services do not have access to appropriate and accurate clinical information at the point of care.[ii] This creates concerns surrounding the treatment provided to patients; if they do not declare an element of their health history that is clinically relevant, but is not found in the patient records, patients could be exposed to a significant risk of harm.

If patient information is kept on paper, there is the possibility of it being misplaced or lost entirely. When saved digitally, especially in a cloud-based system, clinicians can ensure records and forms are accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. This creates security and reliability surrounding a patient’s previous health history; by centralising it either online or through an in-house computer system, there is less need to scour cabinets for patient files, which can be problematic in larger practices.

Digitising consent forms

Consent forms are exceptionally important to keep track of in the dental practice. It’s required of every dental professional to secure valid consent before starting any treatment or investigation, no matter if they’re the first member of the team to see that patient, or if the patient has already received treatment from another clinician in the practice.[iii] Through the process of obtaining consent, clinicians should remain aware that the signature isn’t the most important thing, whether obtained digitally or on paper – it is the discussion between clinician and patient that should be recorded in some depth, as this validates the given consent.ⁱⁱⁱ

 Digitising this process has been commended inside and outside of healthcare environments for a number of benefits. The NHS says that a digital system for recording patient consent offers patients greater convenience and flexibility.[iv] If patients have access to the form at home or remotely, they can take their time making an informed decision – important with more invasive dental treatments – and alleviate anxieties felt in the practice,^iv where they may feel they are put on the spot to sign a consent form.

Whilst the action of signing of consent will trouble the patient little, the changes to environment, circumstances, and time pressures can make digital approaches better for the patient experience overall.

A back-up plan

Simplifying the location of consent forms by digitising the process is not just a matter of convenience – it ensures safety for both patient and clinician. Information can be shared simply when referring individuals, or accessed for emergency treatments. Most importantly for cloud systems, they can be reliably accessed for review at any location and time.

Should a patient raise concerns about a previous treatment, digital consent forms and recordings of discussions with a patient can provide clarity on the information given at each point of treatment, potentially protecting clinicians against some legal challenges.

To manage and record digital consent forms safely, dental practices need to choose software that they can rely on. Sensei Cloud from Sensei, the practice and patient management brand of Carestream Dental, can be upgraded with Patient Bridge, a Sensei product, and offers clinicians a variety of advantages by making the most of a cloud-based workflow. Forms can be signed digitally – including consent, medical history, treatment plans and FP17 forms – and are then stored safely in the cloud for remote access in an instant. All forms are continuously backed up and protected with state-of-the-art cybersecurity tools, whilst remaining GDPR compliant.

Making the move to digital consent forms offers a myriad of advantages to the dental practice and patient, and should be considered by every practice as the world moves towards paperless systems.

For more information on Sensei Cloud visit https://gosensei.co.uk/  

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[i] NHS England, (2022). High quality patient records. (Online) Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/high-quality-patient-records/ [Accessed January 2025]

[ii] NHS England, (2023). Dentistry: improving access to clinical information. (Online) Available at: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/podac/dentistry [Accessed January 2025]

[iii] General Dental Council, (2019). Standards for the dental team. (Online) Available at: https://www.gdc-uk.org/standards-guidance/standards-and-guidance/standards-for-the-dental-team [Accessed January 2025]

[iv] NHS Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust, (2024). Digital patient consent system. (Online) Available at: https://www.mse.nhs.uk/digital-patient-consent-system [Accessed January 2025]