How to Transfer Dental Records to a New Dentist

Your right to dental records under HIPAA

Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, patients have the right to access and obtain copies of their protected health information held in designated record sets — including dental x-rays, clinical notes, treatment histories, and billing records 1Ref 1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2023).Your Rights Under HIPAA.Patients' HIPAA right to access and obtain copies of their health records including dental records, dental practices' obligation to provide them, and the scope of permissible copying fees. A dental office may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee to produce copies, but cannot deny access because of an unpaid balance (beyond requiring payment of the copying fee itself) 1Ref 1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2023).Your Rights Under HIPAA.Patients' HIPAA right to access and obtain copies of their health records including dental records, dental practices' obligation to provide them, and the scope of permissible copying fees.

Dental records typically constitute a "designated record set" under HIPAA, meaning the right to access applies fully. If a practice refuses or delays unreasonably, patients may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.

What to request — the complete records package

When switching dentists, ask for all of the following:

• Dental x-rays: panoramic (full-mouth overview), periapical (individual teeth), and bitewing (cavity-detection) x-rays taken during your time at the practice
• Periodontal charting: pocket depth measurements and gum health records
• Clinical notes and treatment history: procedures performed, materials used (filling materials, crown types), and any treatment plans
• Referral records: notes from specialists (orthodontists, periodontists, oral surgeons) if shared with the practice

Digital x-rays can often be sent electronically as a JPEG or DICOM file directly to your new dentist, which is faster and has no degradation in quality compared to physical x-ray copies.

How to make the request

1. Contact the old office — phone, in person, or by email if they accept electronic requests. Some offices have an online patient portal with a records request function. 2. Complete a written release authorization — you will need to sign a form specifying what you are releasing and to whom. Most offices have their own form; some states require a specific format. 3. Specify the recipient — provide your new dentist's name, address, fax number, or email. Alternatively, request a copy for yourself to hand-deliver or forward. 4. Confirm format — ask whether x-rays can be sent digitally (faster) or will be printed or put on a CD. 5. Follow up — if you have not received confirmation after a week, a brief follow-up call is appropriate.

Is there a fee for transferring records?

Dental offices are legally entitled to charge a reasonable copying fee for records 1Ref 1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2023).Your Rights Under HIPAA.Patients' HIPAA right to access and obtain copies of their health records including dental records, dental practices' obligation to provide them, and the scope of permissible copying fees. In practice:

• Digital x-rays sent electronically: often free or a small fee ($0–$25)
• Printed records or CD copies: $25–$50 is common; some states cap this amount
• Rush requests: some offices charge extra for expedited processing

You cannot be denied access to your records because of an unpaid bill, though the office can require payment for copying costs before releasing them.

How far back should you request?

At minimum, request records from the past 3–5 years, including any x-rays taken in that period. A full panoramic x-ray and recent bitewings give your new dentist a solid starting baseline.

If you have had major work — implants, root canals, crowns, orthodontics — ask for records related to those specifically regardless of when they were done. A new dentist maintaining an implant or monitoring a root-canal-treated tooth benefits from the original treatment notes.

What if your former dentist has retired or closed?

When a dental practice closes, state dental board regulations typically require that patient records be retained for a minimum number of years (often 7–10, longer for minors). Common paths to locate your records:

• The practice's voicemail or website: often lists a successor who took on the patient records
• State dental board: maintains a process for locating records from closed practices
• The building or property: a new tenant dental practice sometimes received transferred records

If records cannot be located, your new dentist can take a full set of diagnostic x-rays and a clinical exam to establish a new baseline.