Purpose

As with many industries, dental practices are required to keep dental records for specific periods, after which they become aged.

UK aged data policies are clearly stated but other regions can also use the tool and customise its parameters to local requirements.

From version 11.8 EXACT's Delete Aged Data (DAD) tool supports the above data retention guidelines and makes it possible to delete aged records.

A practitioner with the required security privileges can run the Delete Aged Data tool to delete aged patient details from the system.

EXACT displays warnings and requires confirmation before deleting the patient details.

See also: Deleted and retained data

'Aged data' in the UK:

• 11 years for adults,
• 11 years or 25th birthday for kids (whichever is longer),
• 8 years after death.

These rules are reflected in the guidance from the BDA’s Protecting Personal Information advice publication:

"The BDA advises retaining dental records for 11 years or until the patient reaches the age of 25 years, whichever is the longer. These timescales are derived from the various limitation periods for bringing legal claims for personal injury, clinical negligence or breach of contract…Local primary care organisations and other regulatory bodies may require different retention periods for patient records. For example, practices in Northern Ireland should be aware of the retention periods used by the RQIA."

The “retain no longer than necessary rule” applies so practices need a system to identify and destroy records as those records become aged.