Attributes of the complete dental record: a Delphi approach to standards

BACKGROUND: Adherence to the Dental Board of Australia Guidelines on dental records is not universal and remediation of deficient practise requires clarity in the practical application of standards. The aim of this research is to clarify practical requirements of dental record keeping in New South Wales. METHODS: Seventeen experts were invited to participate in an electronically administered series of Delphi questionnaires. Concepts were refined until consensus was reached. RESULTS: Two rounds were required to achieve a satisfactory level of consensus (>80%). A high level of consensus was obtained across the two rounds, with 72% and 86% agreement on propositions in the first and second rounds, respectively. Consensus criteria were established in 14 domains to establish attributes of the complete dental record (ACDR). CONCLUSIONS: The ACDR may supplement existing national guidelines and are likely to be useful in a remediation context in which clear, unambiguous expectations for conduct are paramount.