When to use this pediatric template
Use it for child prophylaxis visits (D1120), first dental visits, and periodic recall visits for kids. Pediatric notes need a few things an adult prophy note doesn't: who brought the child and gave consent, how the child behaved and what guidance you used, and what you told the parent. Payers set their own age cutoff between child and adult prophylaxis, so check the patient's plan before billing D1120 for a teenager.
What a pediatric note should cover
- The accompanying adult and their relationship to the child.
- A behavior rating, such as the Frankl scale, plus the guidance techniques used.
- Development: dentition stage, eruption, and occlusion for age.
- Caries risk and the preventive care it led to: fluoride, sealants, recall interval.
- Parent education, in specific terms, not "OHI given."
Example pediatric note
Patient, age 7, seen for child prophylaxis (D1120), accompanied by parent. Medical history reviewed with parent, no changes. Behavior: Frankl 3, positive; tell-show-do and positive reinforcement used. Mixed dentition, eruption age-appropriate. No caries detected. Caries risk moderate. Bitewings taken. Rubber cup prophy; fluoride varnish applied (D1206). Sealants recommended for #3, #14, #19, #30, to schedule. Parent advised to help with brushing and limit juice between meals. Recall in 6 months.