Skill Sharpeners

Exercise 1: Access a Chart from the Patient List Window

From the SoftDent practice management software, verify that a patient has a current chart.

To see if a patient has a current chart:

If the patient does not have an appointment today, select List > Patient. The Patient List window is displayed.
Find and select the patient in the list, and click Chart. The charting module opens. The Clinical History tab shows the charting activity.

Exercise 2: Expand Chart Details

Maximize a list of ledger entries and the images associated with a chart. Display the chart again with the thumbnails of the images below the chart and the expanded details associated with the chart.

To maximize the entries and display thumbnails and details:

Open a chart with clinical history and clinical images available. To view the clinical history list in full screen, click the Maximize the clinical ledger view button.
To view clinical images in full screen, click the Maximize image thumbnail view button on the main toolbar.
To return to the chart view with thumbnail images displayed below the chart, click the Chart with Clinical Images button.

Exercise 3: Determine Exam Dates

When was a patient’s last perio exam?

To determine the date:

With the chart displayed, click the Maximize the clinical ledger view button. The chart is hidden, and the list of ledger entries is maximized.
Look through the list to view the last exam.

Exercise 4: Check Insurance Eligibility

From the charting module, find out which insurance company covers a patient and the amount of the annual dental care maximum.

To verify a patient’s insurance:

Open a patient chart.
On the Common toolbar, click the Display the patient’s information dialog button. The Patient’s Information window is displayed.
Click Eligibility. The Eligibility & Benefits window is displayed.
Review the information and click Close. The Patient’s Information window is displayed.
Click Close, and the charting module is displayed again.

Exercise 5: Change Options and Properties

The default tab—the tab that is open when you open the charting module—is the Overview tab. Make the Perio tab the default tab.

To change the default tab:

Select Chart > Options. The Chart Properties window is displayed.
In the Default Chart Mode section of the window, select Perio.
Click OK.

Exercise 6: Change Colors

Change the background color of the Restorative tab to pink.

To change the background color:

Select Chart > Options. The Chart Properties window is displayed.
In the Display Options section, click on the field to the left of Background Color. The Color window is displayed.
Click on bright pink.
Click OK. The Chart Properties window is displayed again.
Click OK. The Restorative tab is displayed again, with the pink background.
To revert to the default colors, select Chart > Options > Reset Default Colors.

Exercise 7: Customize Toolbars

Add a Patient Education button to the Common toolbar.

To add the Patient Education button:

Right-click anywhere on the toolbar. A pop-up menu is displayed.
Select Customize Toolbar. The Customize Toolbar window is displayed.
Select the Patient Education button from the Available toolbar buttons section of the window, click Add, and click Close.
To remove the button from the toolbar, select Customize Toolbar. Select the button from the Current toolbar buttons section of the window and click Remove.
To rearrange the order of toolbar buttons, select the button and click Move Up or Move Down until it is in the location you want, and click Close.