Note templates let you build reusable structures for clinical notes, saving time and helping keep records consistent.
Please note: Templates are created and edited directly from within a patient's note you can no longer do this from the old template editor in 'settings' > 'templates'.
Practice templates vs personal templates
There are two types of note templates in Dentally.
Personal templates are created and managed by individual users and are only visible to the person who created them. Any user can create, edit, favourite, and delete their own personal templates.
Practice templates are shared across the whole practice and are visible to everyone. Only admin level 4 users can create or delete practice templates. All other users can insert practice templates into their notes but cannot edit or remove them.
How do I access the note template editor?
The template editor is accessed from within a patient's note. We recommend using a test patient when creating/editing new templates especially whilst getting used to the editor.
Open a patient record and click 'View note', or navigate to the notes section in the clinical sidebar.
Click the 'Template' button at the top of the note editor - it is the leftmost button on the right-hand side of the clinical sidebar.
From here you can create, edit, favourite, and manage your templates.
How do I create a note template?
Click the + button next to 'Personal templates' or 'Practice template', or click 'New template' at the bottom of the panel and choose your preferred template.
Only level 4 users will be able to create and edit practice templates.
Give the template a name.
Type your template content into the editor.
Click 'Save' at the bottom when you are done.
The template is now saved and available to use in any patient note.
Top tip: Well-structured templates produce better results when using Dentally's AI note features. Read our guide on how to optimise your templates for AI to get the most out of them.
If you have an existing template you want to work from, select the text and copy before selecting 'New template'. Then you can paste the original template and work from this.
How do I add a shortcut to a template?
Shortcuts let you insert a template quickly using the slash menu while writing a note.
Open the template you want to add a shortcut to.
Click 'Add shortcut' at the very bottom of the template editor.
Type your shortcut (for example, EXD could be used for template titled Exam Detailed) and press Enter.
Once saved, typing / followed by your shortcut in any clinical note will bring up that template for quick insertion.
How do I favourite a template?
Open the template you want to favourite.
Click the star icon in the bottom right of the template editor.
Favourited templates appear at the top of the template list when you open the panel, so they are quicker to find.
How do I insert a template into a note?
The quickest way is to type / followed by the templates name or shortcut
Then click to insert your template.
Alternatively you can, open the template panel from within a patient's note by clicking the 'Template' button
Select the template you want to use.
Click 'Insert' to add it to the note.
Please note: You can make a quick edit to a personal template, or a practice template if you have the right permissions, when opening it from the main template editor. Any changes made will be saved against the template going forward.
How do I delete a template?
Open the template you want to delete from the template editor menu.
Click the three-dot menu icon next to said template.
Select 'Delete'.
Users can only delete their own personal templates. Admin level 4 users can also delete practice templates.