The importance of your dentist knowing your medical history
Patients often ask us why do they need to fill in a medical history form when they attend their appointments.
The Dental Council of Australia requires your dentist to check your health condition regularly, and especially before any treatment is carried out.
Dentists are not only required to check a patient’s medical condition but must also be able to prove that this information is kept up to date and that the information is completed by the patient themselves.
This is why a new form and a signature is required every 12 months.
It would be irresponsible and un-professional for your dentist to accept “No Change” as a satisfactory updated Medical Status. Our dentists make sure they have an in depth and up to date Medical Form for each patient to allow an informed decision to be made should any treatment be needed.
A lot of patients are only visiting the practice every 12 months and a lot can happen in that time. A patient may think that they let us know about the changes last visit, when actually there is nothing recorded on your history.
Although some of the questions may seem strange for your dentist to ask, all the questions on our Medical Form are relevant. The answers let us know if you may be at an increased risk of certain oral health diseases or that some health conditions and medications may affect treatment options.
To keep us updated on your medical history please complete our online Patient Update Form or the New Patient Form for new patients.