Referral Guidelines

Cape Cod Endodontics would like to ensure that each patient is scheduled in a manner that is most efficient for both the patient and the referring doctor. The information outlined below should help the referring practice to know what information should be provided to us so we can properly schedule your patient.

Referral Forms

Each patient should have a referral form, available for download here, which should either be mailed/e-mailed to our office or given to the patient to present to our office when they are appointed. This form is an important kind of communication between our offices and is critical from a medical/legal perspective as well.

Radiographs

Radiographs If you have a radiograph to accompany the referral form, send it to our office or give it to the patient.

Consults

Though you may think that a consultation appointment may be just one extra unnecessary appointment for your patient, there are several reasons why sometimes a consultation can be very helpful for your patient.

• The patient may desire one: A patient may be apprehensive about coming to a new office for a procedure with which they are unfamiliar. A consultation with our office prior to treatment can allay that anxiety.
• Diagnostic uncertainty: A consultation is highly recommended if there is a question about which tooth may be involved, or if there is a question as to whether the pain is related to a tooth at all.
• Possible endodontic re-treatment: In this case a consultation is essential for the endodontist to evaluate restorability, prognosis of non-surgical vs. surgical treatment, to discuss the procedure to the patient, and to determine the estimated treatment time.
• Possible surgical treatment: As above, the consultation is essential to plan for optimal treatment and educate the patient.
• Patients with dental anxiety: Dental treatment, despite the many advances to make it painless for patients, still evokes great anxiety for many. Patients may request or desire sedative pre-medication, nitrous oxide sedation, or oral conscious sedation. It is of great advantage to the patient to have a consultation appointment to best determine how to manage their anxiety. It is amazing that once the patient has the procedure explained to them and they become acclimated to our office, many realize that they won�t require anything more than local anesthesia!

Single-visit Endodontic Treatments

It is appropriate and of benefit to your patient to have their endodontic treatment completed in a single visit when:

• The pulp is clearly vital (i.e. thermal sensitivity, no PA radiolucency)
• A thermally sensitive cracked tooth
• When a post space is required for restorative purposes in an otherwise asymptomatic healthy tooth
• Carious exposure of a vital pulp

If your office feels the tooth meets the above criteria, it would be helpful for Cape Cod Endodontics to know before or at the time we schedule an appointment, since single-visit treatment on a tooth would likely require more time than just instrumentation.

Multiple visit treatment

Though surely most people would like to have their treatment completed as quickly as possible, we all also want to assure the best possible prognosis for the patient and their tooth. In some cases, it would be most prudent to treat the tooth in multiple visits. The criteria would include:

• Teeth with swelling and/or drainage
• Clearly infected teeth with a periapical radiolucency
• Patients who cannot tolerate long visits

As your office does, Cape Cod Endodontics will try our best to provide your patient with the highest quality care in the most efficient and compassionate manner as possible. Your providing us with all the pertinent information prior to our seeing your patient will facilitate our mutual goal of improving your patient's oral health.

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Cape Cod Endodontics  |  441 Route 130  |  Sandwich, MA 02563  |  tel (508) 888-8482
110 Long Pond Rd # 124  |  Plymouth, MA 02360  |  tel (508) 747-4441