Change of orthodontist

Especially with a therapy that lasts several years, the relationship of trust between dentist and patient plays a major role. But patients can also go to the orthodontist during treatment, if conflicts have occurred?

The essentials in brief:

A braces treatment must be requested and approved at the cash desk. Therefore, patients need to inform the cash register if they want to change the dentist.
A change during the current treatment is only possible if there is a valid reason. The health insurance can check this.
In case of a change, patients are only entitled to copies or duplicates of their treatment documents, not to original documents. An exception are x-rays.

Can you just change the orthodontist?

Patients in Germany have the right to choose their doctor freely. Nevertheless, there are cases in which a change is possible only after consultation with the health insurance. This includes ongoing orthodontic treatment, which must be requested and approved as a dental and periodontal treatment.

Anyone who arbitrarily changes the orthodontist can get in the event of a lack of approval of the fund difficulties with the reimbursement.

Which reasons make a change possible??

The federal coat contract between statutory health insurance companies and the Federal Dentists’ Association states that a dentist change is necessary until the conclusion of an orthodontic treatment "only possible if there is a valid reason" is (§ 8 BMV-Z).

If patients state a disturbed relationship of trust as the reason, the health insurance can check this and also listen to the treating dentist. If a dentist change is inevitable, for example because the patient or the orthodontist is moving or the dentist gives up his practice, a consultation with the health insurance is also necessary. If then the new dentist does not take over the original treatment plan, a new plan is possible.

Incidentally, a dentist may also terminate a treatment relationship under certain conditions, for example if patients do not follow their recommendations, frequently and on their own account fail to meet deadlines, or if trust is weakened by disputes.

Do patients have a claim to documents?

When changing dentists, it is helpful not to have to re-create x-rays or impressions. In principle, however, doctors and dentists are required to document their work and to keep these documents for 10 years. So you do not have to give originals.

Patients have the right to view their patient record and can receive copies or duplicates of models.

X-rays have to be given to doctors or dentists to a treating colleague "temporarily left", to avoid further exposure to X-rays (§ 28 (8) X-ray Ordinance RöV). For an exchange of information between two dentists, the will of the patient is decisive because of medical confidentiality.

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