Clinic Coordinators Small Intro

Clinic Orientation and Operational Guidelines

This document summarizes clinic procedures, expectations, and administrative requirements. It is intended to clarify routine practice, reinforce learning, and ensure safe, professional, and efficient clinic sessions. Read carefully and keep this for reference.

Contacts and Clinic Coordinators

• Lead clinic coordinator: Debbie Newport (Dr. Druitt).
• Other coordinators: Dr. Beach (maternity lead, returning soon) and Dr. Shakabee (will be present in clinic).
• Record and keep clinic coordinator phone number(s) and email address accessible.
• If you will be late or cannot attend clinic, call the clinic coordinators or ask someone to notify them. Failing to notify the coordinators when absent may be recorded as unprofessional and escalated.

Attendance, Arrival and Session Times

• Arrive early: you may come into clinic 10 minutes before official start time to prepare and help set up.
• Be present for the entire session you are rostered to. Leaving early repeatedly or arriving late without permission may be escalated and affect professionalism records.
• If you are rostered to a session but have no patient, you still must attend and assist colleagues. Do not arrive late because you expect no patients.
• Start thinking about packing up at approximately:
  • Morning: ~11:15
  • Afternoon: ~3:45
• Patients must be out of the chair by the official clinic end time (for example, morning and afternoon session end times). These are patient exit deadlines — do not interpret them as times to finish charting or clinical tasks.

Guiding rules:

• Approval to Start (ATS) must be obtained from a tutor before beginning treatment.
• Approval to Dismiss (tutor sign-off) is required before releasing a patient from the clinic.
• If you are running late, call the clinic coordinators immediately.

In-Clinic Preparation and Setup

• Help nurses with setup if you arrive early (infection-control procedures, turning on the chair, preparing instruments).
• Know your patient list before clinic; check your roster and clinic location the day before.
• Prepare a short “pre-flight” checklist for each patient: patient identity verification, medical history, current medications, planned procedure, instruments/materials needed and assistant requirements.
• Bring patient summaries if needed—these help when you cannot access full records off-site.

Tutors: General vs Specialist

• Start with your assigned general tutor. If additional expertise is required, the general tutor can involve a specialist tutor.
• Do not bypass the general tutor and approach a specialist directly without agreement from the general tutor.
• For Endodontic cases, a specialist may observe or supervise, but your general tutor should still be informed and involved.
• On evaluation records (e.g., PebblePad), list the tutor who supervised most of the session. If unsure, confirm with your general tutor.

PebblePad / Session Submission

• Complete your PebblePad/clinical session record at the start and/or on the same day of the session as required. Late submission can result in session being marked as failed/attendance issues.
• Double-check tutor names and spellings (there are multiple tutors with similar names).
• Make submission a routine habit—some excellent clinical sessions have been lost because students failed to submit.

Approval Workflow: ATS and Dismissal

• ATS (Approval to Start): tutor approval is required before any clinical procedure begins.
• Approval to Dismiss: tutor approval is required before the patient leaves. Do not simply send patients to reception; accompany them to the door or leave a pop-up note for reception with the required next-visit actions and times.
• Ensure all relevant clinical information is available at ATS (medical history, medications, past dental history, periodontal status, intended procedure).

Patient Identity Verification and Safety

• Always verify patient identity beyond just name to prevent serious errors:
  • Confirm a second identifier (address, last 4 digits of phone number, date of birth, etc.) rather than asking yes/no questions.
• Avoid putting the wrong patient in a chair. This is a medicolegal issue.
• If a patient is abusive or there are sensitive non-clinical concerns, use the confidential pop-up notes (speech bubble) in Titanium rather than chart notes which the patient can later request.

Titanium: Notes, Pop-up Notes and Estimates

• Use the pop-up note feature for non-clinical, confidential comments (abuse, behavioral concerns) because clinical notes may be released to patients.
• Create an estimate in Titanium for any treatment requiring cost discussion. The reception and financial teams use coded entries to calculate patient charges.
• For procedures requiring payment (e.g., prosthetics), the expected workflow:
  • Generate and present estimate to patient.
  • Patient signs estimate to indicate consent.
  • Standard payment policy: typically 50% on impression/preparation and remainder prior to insertion (confirm local policy).
• Tutors or coordinators can walk you through Titanium workflows during treatment planning sessions.

Worksheet Approval vs Treatment Plan Approval

• Worksheet approval:
  • Intended for control-phase planning (e.g., restorations, simple procedures).
  • Not the same as comprehensive treatment plan approval for reconstruction work.
  • Obtain worksheet approval so future tutors can accept and continue the planned course of care.
• Treatment plan / reconstruction (Form 26) approval:
  • Required for prosthodontic reconstruction: crowns (Form 26A) and dentures (Form 26B).
  • Forms require student, pros/general tutor, and clinic coordinator signatures.
  • If a specialist has already signed, you still must see the clinic coordinators so the clinic team can supervise continuity of care.

Prosthodontics and Form 26

• No prosthodontic (fixed or removable) work should proceed without a correctly completed Form 26.
• The clinic coordinator must countersign all Form 26A/26B documents before lab work or irreversible procedures.
• Explanations about complexity:
  • Even if a specialist pros signs the plan, clinic coordinators still need to review and countersign to ensure safe supervision and continuity.
  • Very complex full-mouth rehabilitations require careful review; you may be advised to defer if you have insufficient prior experience.

Scope of Procedures and Restrictions

• No anterior aesthetic work (veneers/anterior crowns) for this stage — focus on general dentistry.
• Extractions (exos): these may be scheduled into designated extraction sessions (clinic-specific). You may book patients into extraction sessions where available.
• Use specialist clinics for specialist-level procedures. Discuss referral and cost implications with the patient.

Lab Work and Turnaround

• The laboratory service has reduced capacity; many cases will be outsourced and turnaround times are longer.
• Plan prosthetic and lab-dependent work well in advance and allow for extra lead time.
• We will have a further discussion about lab procedures at the end of semester one.

Swapping Sessions and Location Changes

• If you need to swap clinic sessions or chairs, provide at least 24 hours’ notice and find a colleague to swap with.
• Notify clinic coordinators with the agreed swap information for paperwork processing.
• Left-handed students: make swaps with colleagues who have compatible setups when necessary.
• If you need a specialist tutor and you are not scheduled in the correct clinic, you may have to arrange a swap with another student.

Shared Care and Patient Ownership

• Patients are part of the dental school clinic and may be shared between students for training and continuity.
• If a patient’s care is shared (e.g., one student completes control-phase restorations, another student later completes prosthodontics), document and notify coordinators of any planned shared care arrangements.
• Always inform coordinators before making informal or “private” arrangements to share a patient—no private agreements without documentation.

Referrals to Specialists

• Referrals must be generated in Titanium as a proper specialist referral (include clinical notes and reason for referral).
• Write the referral as if addressing the specialist: include clear clinical summary, radiographs, expected objectives and any specific questions for the specialist.
• Tutor must sign the referral in Titanium; coordinators will then process it.
• Inform the patient of potential costs for specialist treatment — specialists’ work (even at reduced clinic rates) may be significant and not necessarily inexpensive.
• Wisdom tooth clinic and some specialist consultations may be free (confirm local arrangements).

Patient Contact and No‑Shows

• Document all attempts to contact patients (date, time, method). If you cannot reach a patient after multiple attempts, bring this to clinic coordinators’ attention.
• Reception and student reception staff (e.g., Jenny) can often contact patients successfully—seek their assistance if needed.
• Repeated no-shows without notice may result in dismissal of the patient from your list; discuss with coordinators before dismissing.
• Keep patient lists accurate: if a patient will be absent for a prolonged period, consider removing them from your active list and explain rebooking options through reception.
• Do not mark patients as “inactive” in the system; follow clinic process (reassign or pending dismissal) and consult coordinators.

Communication and Phone Use

• Use clinic/Aqua phones or clinic email addresses for contacting patients to protect your personal number and increase the chance the patient will answer.
• There are dedicated clinic phone lines in the computer lab for student use.
• If you must use your mobile phone to contact a patient, consider sending a text first identifying yourself and the clinic to increase pickup rates.
• Avoid late-night or inappropriate communications; do not encourage patients to send abusive messages or calls.

Fees, Codes and Charging in Titanium

• Enter procedure codes in Titanium to generate estimates and charges. The system and reception staff will process payments based on codes entered.
• If uncertain how to code or create an estimate, ask tutors, coordinators, or reception staff for guidance. Training will be provided during treatment planning sessions.

Clinical Requirements, Competencies and Assessment

• Clinical competencies and required experiences are monitored; ensure you identify gaps early and request help.
• Treatment planning sessions, quizzes and spot tests will be used to reinforce relevant knowledge (pharmacology, pain diagnosis, etc.). These are intended as ongoing learning and reinforcement.
• If you are short of required experience (e.g., restorations), notify coordinators early so extra cases or shared-care arrangements can be organized before the end of the term.

Infection Control and Sharps Safety

• Keep gloves on when removing sharps. Dispose of burs, needles and contaminated items into the designated sharps containers (yellow bins).
• Re-sheath needles appropriately and dispose safely.
• If you sustain a needle-stick or other clinical incident, report it immediately:
  • Complete an incident report (CAMPS) on the desktop (available on clinic computers).
  • Notify clinic coordinators so you can receive appropriate follow-up care.
  • Reporting protects you and ensures the school can manage risks; it is not punitive.

Incident Reporting (CAMPS)

• All incidents (patient collapse, near-miss, needle-stick, adverse events) should be reported through CAMPS and by informing coordinators.
• Near-miss incidents are important to report; they allow the clinic to improve processes and reduce future risk.

Practical Support and Further Training

• If you need step-by-step demonstrations (e.g., denture processes, prosthetic procedures, Titanium workflows, worksheet approvals), coordinators and tutors can organize small-group sessions or targeted demonstrations.
• Treatment planning tutorials are available; these exercises will include case reviews and hands-on practice.
• Use clinic tutor days and coordinator office time to ask for clarification and practice.

Summary of Key Actions (Quick Reference)

• Arrive early (10 minutes before start); be present for entire rostered session.
• Obtain ATS before treatment and tutor approval to dismiss before sending patient away.
• Verify patient identity with at least two identifiers.
• Submit PebblePad/session notes on the day; double-check tutor names.
• Prepare worksheets and obtain worksheet approval for control-phase work.
• Obtain Form 26 for prosthodontic reconstruction (26A/26B) with required signatures before lab work.
• Use clinic phones/email for patient contact; document all contact attempts.
• Report incidents immediately via CAMPS and notify coordinators.
• Seek help early if you are short of required experiences or if cases are getting complex.

Questions and Support

• Clinic coordinators are available to help with rostering, swaps, Form 26 checks, treatment planning workflows and student issues. Please come and see them in the clinic office (behind Lisa’s desk) if you are unsure about anything.
• If you are unsure about any administrative or clinical process, ask—early engagement ensures safe patient care and will help you meet requirements.

If you need specific training (Titanium workflow, worksheet approval, prosthetics form completion, referral letters, or clinical demonstrations), request a session with a clinic coordinator or tutor and we will arrange a focused tutorial.