How can I be sure my records meet the current standard?
The Advisory Services team has compiled the following list of resources for practitioners who are interested in evaluating and/or improving their record keeping practices. If you keep a record of all activities you undertake in this area you can include it in your CPD log. Time spent attending courses, reading journal articles on this topic and in auditing your records is classified as scientific and will attract one CPD hour per hour of engagement.
Rules and regulations:
Dental Board of Australia
The Dental Board of Australia describes the Australian standard for dental record keeping in the Code of Conduct. Section 8.3 on Health Records describes the guiding principles which must be applied (the Standard).
In relation to record keeping, the Code of Conduct is supported by the following key explanatory documents:
(i) Factsheet – Maintaining your patient health records and
(ii) Self-reflective tool – Good record keeping
Both the factsheet and self-reflective tool can be accessed here.
Australian Privacy Laws
The collection, use and disposal of personal information (dental records) is governed by the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
Continuing professional development:
Face-to-face courses
ADA NSW regularly runs a course titled Dental Records, Consent and Complaints Management. You can enrol in this course through the ADA NSW CPD website. This is a popular course and if it is full when you try to enrol, you can join the waiting list.
Online interactive dental records course
ADA NSW hosts an Online Dental Records and Consent course by Dental Compliance Australia. You can enrol via the ADA NSW CPD website. It takes an hour or two to complete and a certificate of completion is provided. Once you enrol you will need to log into the Dental Compliance Australia website to complete the course. Further information can be obtained from the ADA NSW CPD team if required.
Online lectures, videos and audio content (free for ADA members)
The ADA Inc CPD Portal offers a wealth of materials including webinars, lectures, videos and audio recordings. As well as learning about dental record keeping, you will also find content relating to diagnosis, treatment planning and clinical treatment which may be of interest. To access these resources, you must login using your ADA Inc username and password.
Default Login details:
Username: ADA Inc. Member Number
Password: ADA Inc. Member Number followed by initials in lower case
In particular, we recommend Dr Milford’s free course Record Keeping: Essential Knowledge to Avoid Pitfalls. (This course references the now-retired 2020 DBA Guidelines on Dental Recordkeeping, however, the expectations in the new Reflective Tool are substantially the same.)
Journals, magazines and professional publications
The ADA Knowledge Centre (Library) is the repository of numerous Australian and International journals, magazines and professional publications. To conduct a literature search, you can visit the Knowledge Centre personally, search the database online or phone (02) 8436 9900 to request guidance and assistance.
Journal articles can also be accessed on the ADA Inc website via the National Digital Library.
Self-assessment/audit of dental records:
Performing a self-assessment or audit of your dental records
The Dental Council of NSW (DC) commonly assesses practitioner records using an audit checklist.
You may wish to perform an audit of your own records to ensure you are meeting the standard required. There are a number of excellent dental record audit tools available to assist you – please access these via the table below.
Advisory Services Resources Compilation:
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Dental Records Audits |
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Informed Consent Information Sheet NSQHS Informed Consent in Health Care Factsheet for Clinicians |
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011 Comprehensive Examination Aide Memoire |
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A Check-up For Your Record Keeping System Parts 1 and 2 Article |
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I’ve Received a Request for Records: What Should I Do? (Part 1 and 2) Article |
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If you require more details, please do not hesitate to email Advisory Services at advisory@adansw.com.au or call 8436 9944
Disclaimer: This guide provides a wide range of key pieces of information to inform and to assist you in evaluating your dental record keeping practices. It does not contain all information relating to dental records. Please be mindful that information provided in these resources can change after the publication date. Publication date: October 2025