Historical Note

A.      A dentist of record shall ensure that each patient record has the treatment records for a patient treated in any dental office, clinic, hospital dental clinic, or charitable organization that offers dental services, and the full name of a dentist who is responsible for all of the patient’s treatment.

B.       A dentist of record shall obtain a patient’s consent to change the treatment plan before changing the treatment plan that the patient originally agreed to, including any additional costs the patient may incur because of the change.

C.      When a dentist who is a dentist of record decides to leave the practice of dentistry or a particular place of practice in which the dentist is the dentist of record, the dentist shall ensure before leaving the practice that a new dentist of record is entered on each patient record.

D.      A dentist of record is responsible for the care given to a patient while the dentist was the dentist of record even after being replaced as the dentist of record by another dentist.

E.       A dentist of record shall:

1.        Remain responsible for the care of a patient during the course of treatment; and

2.        Be available to the patient through the dentist’s office, an emergency number, an answering service, or a substitut- ing dentist.

F.       A dentist’s failure to comply with subsection (E) constitutes patient abandonment, and the Board may impose discipline under A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 11, Article 3.

Historical Note

Adopted effective December 6, 1974 (Supp. 75-1). For- mer Section R4-11-62 renumbered as Section R4-11-501 without change effective July 29, 1981 (Supp. 81-4). For- mer Section R4-11-501 repealed, new Section R4-11-501 renumbered from R4-11-1102 and amended by final rulemaking at 5 A.A.R. 580, effective February 4, 1999 (Supp. 99-1). Section amended by final rulemaking at 11

A.A.R. 793, effective April 2, 2005 (Supp. 05-1).