What are linked appointments?
Linked appointments are appointments booked into the calendar which are linked to a treatment plan.
Linked appointments are shown in the treatment plan with the practitioner, date and time in the top right corner.
📝 Please note: If the appointment says 'Not yet booked', this is an unbooked appointment. For details on unbooked appointments, how they are created and where to find them, read our dedicated article here.
How do I link appointments?
After treatment plans have been built in surgery, they can then be linked to a past or upcoming appointment on the calendar. There are three ways you can do this:
Directly from the chart - ideal for clinicians.
Using the clipboard - ideal for receptionists.
Using the book appt screen - another method for receptionists.
💡 Top tip: If there is not already an existing appointment you wish to link to, you can book the unbooked appointment into the calendar as a new appointment.
1. Directly from the Chart
Linking appointments directly form the patient's chart screen is super handy for the clinician's workflow. It ensures that past appointments which may have been missed can be effortlessly linked, without having to navigate across multiple screens within Dentally.
Simply use the 'Link Appointment' button (which looks like a chain 🔗), and choose the desired appointment from a list of the patient's past and upcoming appointments.
You can unlink the appt from here as well by clicking the 'Link Appointment' button again - a box will appear asking you to confirm you wish to unlink the appointment, so just click 'Unlink'.
2. Using the clipboard
To automatically link appointments upon booking them in the calendar, you can use the 'Appointments' tab and the 'Clipboard' on the patient's record.
This method minimises the risk of appointments being left unlinked or unbooked, as you can book any follow-up/future appointments directly based on what the clinician has charted from surgery, and it will link automatically.
During the departure workflow, navigate to the patient's 'Appointments' screen to identify any charted and unbooked appointments set up by the clinician.
Simply click the 'Add to Clipboard' button against the relevant appointment and navigate back to the chart.
Locate a day and time suitable for the appointment before opening the 'Clipboard' on the chart (top right), then drag and drop your appointment into place.
As you can see, this method does involve moving between various screens within Dentally, so some users may prefer methods 1 or 3 to link appointments, depending on your workplace set-up - but for users comfortable with switching between screens, this method is quick and easy, and so may work best for you.
3. Using the book appointment screen
When booking an appointment for a patient during the departure workflow, you can also use the 'New appointment' drop down on the 'Book appointment' screen directly on your Dentally calendar to select one of the patient's unbooked appointments.
This method is super convenient for those that may already know exactly what the patient's next appointment is and how long it needs in the diary.
These three options allow you to fit this step easily into your existing workflow. Whichever method you us, they will all achieve the same result: a linked appointment, for efficient reporting and streamlined patient management.
How do I unlink an appointment from the chart
Once on the Chart, make sure the 'Service Appointment' and 'Treatment Plan' are open and not completed, and then click the 'Unlink' button in the bottom right of the course of treatment, to unlink the appointments.
Why should I link appointments?
Dentally works more efficiently when a patient's treatment plan is linked to their booked appointments in the Calendar.
By ensuring your treatments and appointments are linked, you can guarantee more efficient reporting and easier patient management.