Appointment Views
Best Practices for a Streamlined Schedule
Appointment views in Open Dental allow you to customize how your schedule is displayed, making it easier for your team to stay organized and efficient. Whether you need a clear overview of all appointments or a focused view for specific providers, appointment views let you tailor the schedule to your needs.
In this post, I’ll share our best practices for setting up appointment views, including the specific fields, operatories, and provider bars we recommend for all appointments, hygiene, doctors, and HIPAA-compliant views.
Best Practices for Appointment Views
1. All Appointments View
The "All" view provides a comprehensive look at your schedule for the entire team. It ensures the team can manage the flow of appointments and quickly identify gaps or conflicts.
Operatories to Include: All operatories.
Provider Bars: Include all providers.
Fields to Include:
Main List: Patient Name, Procedures, Note, Net Production, Late Color, Estimated Patient Portion.
Upper Right Corner: Confirmed Color, Premed.
Lower Right Corner: Has Insurance, Has Discount, Lab, Verify Insurance, Prophy/Perio Past Due, Has Family Balance.
This view ensures everyone can see a high-level overview of the day while capturing critical patient and appointment details.
2. HIPAA-Compliant View
The HIPAA view is designed for areas where patient information must remain confidential, such as a reception desk visible to others. This view limits sensitive details while still providing the team with the information they need.
Operatories to Include: All operatories.
Provider Bars: Include all providers.
Fields to Include:
Main List: Patient Number, Procedures, Note, Net Production, Late Color.
Upper Right Corner: Confirmed Color, Premed.
Additional Settings for HIPAA Compliance:
Disable Appointment Bubble: Prevent sensitive details from being displayed when hovering over appointments.
Change Waiting Room Name Display: Adjust the name format to show only the patient’s first name to protect their privacy.
These settings and configurations ensure your practice maintains patient confidentiality while maintaining workflow efficiency.
3. Hygiene-Specific View
A hygiene-specific view focuses on hygiene operatories and includes details that support the hygienists’ workflows.
Operatories to Include: Only hygiene operatories.
Provider Bars: Include only hygienists.
Fields to Include:
Main List: Patient Name, Procedures, Note, Net Production, Medical Urgent Note, Late Color.
Upper Right Corner: Confirmed Color, Premed.
Lower Right Corner: Has Insurance, Has Discount, Recall Past Due.
This tailored view ensures the hygiene team can work efficiently with all relevant details at their fingertips.
4. Doctor-Specific View
The doctor view focuses on clinical operatories and highlights the details doctors need to maximize efficiency and patient care.
Operatories to Include: Only doctor-specific operatories.
Provider Bars: Include only doctors.
Fields to Include:
Main List: Patient Name, Procedures, Note, Production, Estimated Patient Portion.
Upper Right Corner: Confirmed Color, Premed.
Lower Right Corner: Net Production, Prophy/Perio Past Due, Lab.
This view helps doctors focus on their schedules while ensuring critical information is easily accessible.
How to Customize Appointment Views in Open Dental
Access Appointment View Settings: Navigate to Setup > Appointments > Appointment Views in Open Dental.
Create or Edit Views: Select an existing view or create a new one, then customize the operatories, providers, and displayed fields based on the needs of your team.
Assign Views to Users: Tailor each view to specific roles to ensure everyone has access to the most relevant information.
Review Regularly: Update views as your practice grows or workflows evolve to maintain efficiency.
Conclusion:
Appointment views are a simple yet powerful way to optimize your schedule and keep your team focused. By customizing views for all appointments, hygiene, doctors, and HIPAA compliance, you’ll create a more efficient and organized workflow for everyone in your office.
Want a visual walkthrough of how to set up appointment views? Check out my recent video for step-by-step instructions. Have questions or need guidance on customizing your views? Drop a comment—I’d love to help
