Treatment plans
Build a multi-visit plan, record the patient's agreement, and track completion across visits.
Overview
A treatment plan groups multiple procedures over multiple visits. It is a full course of care. You agree the plan and its cost with the patient, record that they approved it, and the plan tracks progress visit by visit.
The patient can see the plan in the patient portal under Treatments, as soon as you create it. The portal view is read-only. The patient cannot approve, change or pay for a plan there. You record the approval in the clinic app.
Prerequisites
- Owner, Admin, or Dentist role
- A patient record
- A clear list of procedures you intend to perform
Steps
Open Treatments. Top menu, then Treatments.
Click "New Treatment Plan". Search for and select the patient. Check the Plan Title ("Phase 1: restorations", "Full mouth ortho").
Add procedures on the chart. Click a tooth on the dental chart, click Add Treatment, then search for and pick the CDT code. The fee is pre-filled from your fee schedule. Repeat for each procedure. The total updates as you add them.
Create the plan. Click Create Plan. The plan starts with status Proposed. The patient can now see it in their portal.
Change an agreed fee (optional). On the plan, edit the fee on a procedure line if you agreed a different price with the patient. You cannot change the fee here once the procedure is on an invoice. Change it on the invoice instead.
Set the order of procedures (optional). Some procedures must happen in order, for example an extraction before an implant. Click Dependencies. Click the link button on the graph, then the procedure that comes first, then the procedure that waits for it.
Discuss the plan with the patient. Go through the procedures and the cost together, in the clinic or by phone. The patient can also read the plan in their portal.
Record the approval. When the patient agrees, click Approve under Plan Status. The status moves to Approved and the approval date shows on the plan.
Work through the plan. Click Start Treatment when work begins. Update each procedure's status as you do it, or tick several procedures and click Mark completed to complete them together.
Close the plan. When the work is done, click Mark Complete. Use Put On Hold to pause a plan, or Cancel Plan if the patient stops treatment.
Expected outcome
- A treatment plan with status Proposed, then Approved, In Progress and Completed
- Each procedure is linked to a CDT code and, where relevant, a tooth
- A procedure that waits for unfinished work is marked blocked, and its status cannot be changed until the earlier work is complete
- The patient sees proposed, approved and in-progress plans in the portal, read-only
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Can't add a CDT code | Code not in your clinic's CDT codes list | Add it in Settings, then CDT Codes |
| Status buttons missing | Only Owners, Admins and Dentists change a plan's status | Ask a dentist or an admin |
| Patient asks how to approve in the portal | The portal does not have plan approval | Record the approval yourself with Approve |
| Procedure status button is greyed out | The procedure waits for another one that is not complete | Complete the earlier procedure first |
| Can't change a procedure's fee | The procedure is already on an invoice | Change the price on the invoice |