Appointment Time Indicators

The appointment block also indicates the availability of the provider. For each unit of time, a symbol (the letter x, a slash or period) can be defined in the Office Setup windows to show the requirement for a dentist practitioner for the procedure. These symbols help in determining the length of time an appointment requires and how the provider's time can be divided.

x    (letter x)

• indicates the time in which a dental assistant is monitoring or working with the patient
• since the provider is not required in the room, he or she may be double booked in different operatories without the Scheduler determining the provider is not available

/    (slash)

• identifies time in which the provider cannot be booked in another operatory

.    (period)

• designates anesthesia time in which the doctor does not have to be physically present in the operatory
• during this time, the patient is achieving numbness from local anesthesia

For example, an office that utilizes 10-minute intervals is adding an appointment for a “D2391 – Resin-Based Composite – One Surface, Posterior”, requiring 40 minutes total. The time indicator symbols on the appointment would show x.//  This designation indicates the first 10 minutes are dental assistant time, the second 10 minutes are for anesthesia, and the final two segments of 10 minutes each are provider time in which the provider cannot be in another operatory.