Scheduler Notes 4.28.25
Written by Andrew Maldonado
Updated at September 5th, 2025
Table of Contents
GA04 Scheduling Notes
“”use teams first for communication”“
Consultations
Consults are scheduled between 11am - 2:30pm Monday - Wednesday. Thursdays and Fridays are surgery days ONLY(DSURG, ISURG, PSURG or CONDOS ONLY). Tell pts appt is for 15 mins earlier than what appointment is scheduled for.
You can schedule an appointment at 3pm but add two plus signs (++) to show that you told pt to arrive at 2:30pm.
- EX: appt is schedules for T l am, tell pt appt is scheaulea for 10:45am and tell pt to arrive l5mins early so arrival time is at 10:30om.
A referral is required for all non-wisdom tooth extractions. If pt does not have a referral, advised them to see their general dentist first and to have them refer to us for treatment. Once they receive the referral you can schedule the appointment but tell the pt they need to email the referral form as well as most recent x-rays before appt. If referral is not received before appt, the appt will be cancelled or rescheduled. Referrals are good for 1 year, past that pts needs an updated referral.
When scheduling appt make sure to get collect pts name, date of birth, phone number, email address, and insurance. Confirm with pt all information is correct.
Consult notes should have what they need to be evaluated for, referring doctors name, pt was told to email referral, that you advised them to do online paperwork before appt and what insurance they have, and your initials and date appointment is scheduled. If pt is a returning pt advised them they will still need to be seen for a consult and add which doctor they previously saw in appt
notes (previous pt of JTL). If pt is interested in implants notate that in appt notes as well.
- EX: Eval WT for ext, Dr. Smith ref, pt to email ref, advised ppwk online, delta dental ppo. -LH 3/6/25 // Eval #3 for ext, possible implant, Dr. Smith ref, pt to email ref, advised ppwk online, delta dental ppo. -LH 3/6/25
All consults are scheduled for 2 units (30 mins) and no double booking for
consults.
Pt must have insurance information to schedule the appointment unless to is self pay. If pt does not have insurance information with them, advised pt to get name of insurance, member ID number, group number and who the policy holder is and to call the office back with information. If pt is self-pay, go ahead and schedule appt and quote them self-pay price for consult ($150) and x-rays
($190).
Consults can be scheduled with whichever doctor is first availabie unless the pt specifies what doctor they are being referred to too.
If pt calls to cancel any appointmeni, notify the office via teams so they can keep track of who cancelled so they can call to f/u and schedule them again. Notate in pts contact noles if pt cancels or reschedules their appt.
- EX: Pt called and cancelled their appt on 3/5/25, pt will call back to r/s. Teams message sent to office to notify. -LH 3/6/25 // Pt called and r/s their appt from 3/6/25 to 3/14/25.-LH 3/6/25
Implant consults are usually scheduled by the office after pt has sx to ext the tooth. If a new pt calls to schedule a consult for implant because their tooth has already been extracted ask the pt who did the ext, how long it's been since tooth has been ext and if they had a bone graft done. If ext was done recently pt needs to wait 3-4 before consult to ensure enough time has passed for the bone graft to heal. Tell the pt to email over referral form and any xrays/scans and operative notes for the sx. Quote pt the CBCT scan price of $395, not covered by insurance, in case a CBCT scan is needed.
Dr. Anderson and Dr. Smith do not see patients for TMJ or any Orthognathic related issues unless it's a top referring doctor, then call the office first for them to discuss w/the doctors.
If referring office calls to have pt seen ASAP, transfer call to office.
If pt has an outstanding balance or is in collections (red dot next to name) do not schedule an appointment. Advised pt that they have a balance that needs to be paid before you can schedule the appointment. If pt wants to pay balance, transfer call to office and let them know that pt wants to pay balance and schedule a consultation.
Any pt in serious pain, transfer call to office. Do not schedule any consult same
day surgeries (CNSDO)
If pt calls asking for quote for a procedure, advised them that they will need to be seen for a consultation first so the doctor can evaluate them and come up. with a treatment plan and to verify insurance.
Surgeries
All surgeries are scheduled in the morning from 7am-11am Monday - Friday.
For Dr. Smith only, if pts treatment plan is over three months old, call the office before scheduling the sx so they can conf w/ Dr. Smith it is okay to schedule sx.
Most surgeries are 3-4 units depending on the sx the pt is having. Implant sx and multiple tooth exts are 4 units (60mins) and WT and normally exts are 3 units [45mins)
If pt calls to schedule their sx go the pts chart, go to workspace and look in their treatment plan to find out what sx pt is having and if they are having IV sed or Local sed. Always look at consult note in attachments, for any additional information. Make sure you schedule with the correct doctor. If pt saw Dr. Lee (retired) for a consult you can schedule the surgery with whichever doctor is first
available, just let pt know the sx will be done with either Dr. Smith or Dr. Anderson unless Dr. Lee specified what doctor she wanted sx done by.
Surgery notes should have what tooth number is being ext and what sedation pt. is having your initials and date appt was scheduled, same goes for pathology consults. If pt is having IV sedation add a 1 to the end of IV so system knows pt is having IV sedation. Same goes for implant sx.
- EX: Ext #1,16,17,32. IV1.-LH.3/6/25// IMP #31 IV1.-LH 3/6/25
For implant sx make sure pt has had their implant consult. Do not schedule sx for implant pt if their implant consult was more than 6 months ago. They will need to be seen for another implant consuit to make sure they are still ready for the implant.
Make sure to always check the alerts in pts chart before scheduling surgeries to makë sure pt doesn't need medical clearance or if office left a note not to schedule pt.
If pt calls and cancels or reschedules their sx send teams message to the office and notate in their contact notes that pt called and cancelled/rescheduled their sx and why if reason given.
- EX: Pt called to cancel their sx on 3/14/25 due to schedule conflict. Pt will call back to r/s. Teams message sent to office. -LH 3/6/25//Pt called and r/s their sx on 3/14/25 to 3/25/25 due to schedule conflict. Teams message sent to office. -LH 3/6/25
If pt calls to discuss treatment plan or has any questions regarding their sx or post op questions, transfer call to office.
Additional Information
Any post ops, Torq test and uncovering's are usually scheduled by the office, but you can r/s or cancel them. Always notify the office if these appointments are cancelled or r/s and give reason why and notate in EMR notes. If pt calls to schedule a post op or thinks they need to be seen for post op care, call the office first to see when if you can schedule it for.
If a doctor's office calls and requests medical records or implant information, collect the name of doctor that is requesting info, office phone number, email address, pts name and date of birth and what records they are requesting. Send teams message to office and notate all information in EMR notes.
- EX: Dr. Anderson's office called requesting implant information for pt. email to anderson@doctorsoffice.com PH:123-456-7890. Teams message sent to the office to forward information. -LH 3/6/25 // Teams message to office - Dr. Anderson's office called requesting xrays for (pts name and chart nümber) please email to (office email & phone number)