When a dental pathology result or an urgent finding on an X-ray needs to reach a patient and the practice cannot make contact, the practitioner is expected to make and document reasonable attempts to reach you, not simply file the result and move on. This situation is rare, but it does happen: a phone number changes, a patient moves without updating their details, or letters go unanswered. Understanding what a practice is actually obliged to do, and what "reasonable attempts to contact" means under NSW health record-keeping rules, helps explain why keeping your contact details current with your dentist is more important than it might seem.
Key takeaways
- A dental pathology result or a significant incidental finding creates a follow-up obligation for the treating practice, not just a filing task.
- "Reasonable attempts to contact" is a recognised standard in NSW health record-keeping, not a single fixed action like one phone call.
- Practices are expected to document every attempt made to reach a patient, including calls, letters, and any other contact method on file.
- If contact genuinely cannot be made after reasonable attempts, the finding and the attempts are recorded in the patient's file rather than simply dropped.
- Keeping your phone number, address, and email current with every practice you attend is the most effective thing you can do to avoid this situation.
- Confirming the contact details held at booking, and after any change in your circumstances, closes the most common gap.
Why this situation happens, and why it matters
Most dental visits do not involve anything urgent needing follow-up. Occasionally, though, a biopsy is taken from a suspicious patch of tissue, an X-ray shows an incidental finding unrelated to the reason for the visit, or a referral to a specialist is made and the loop needs closing. In the ordinary course of care, the practice calls or writes to the patient, the patient responds, and the finding is actioned. The genuinely difficult case is when that contact simply does not land: a disconnected phone number, an old address, an email that bounces, or a patient who does not return calls.
This is a real duty-of-care question rather than a hypothetical one, because a delayed follow-up on something like a suspicious oral lesion can matter. Our guide to oral cancer screening covers why timely follow-up on an unusual finding is worth taking seriously, and our article on mouth ulcers and canker sores explains why persistence, rather than the ulcer itself, is usually what prompts a biopsy in the first place.
What "reasonable attempts to contact" actually means
NSW health record-keeping guidance does not define a single fixed action that counts as sufficient. Instead, the expectation is that a practice makes reasonable attempts, and that those attempts are proportionate to how significant the finding is. A minor administrative update might reasonably be handled with a single follow-up call. A significant pathology result or an urgent referral generally calls for more than one attempt, through more than one channel, over a sensible timeframe.
In practice, this typically looks like an initial phone call, followed by a second call if the first is unanswered, a letter to the address on file if calls are not returning results, and in some cases an attempt through a secondary contact method such as email or a nominated emergency contact, if one is held. None of this is about ticking a box. It reflects the genuine clinical seriousness of the finding and the practice's obligation to make a real effort, not a token one.
Documentation is the safety net
Every attempt to contact a patient about a significant finding is expected to be recorded in the clinical file: the date, the method, and the outcome of each attempt. This record-keeping matters for two reasons. It protects the patient, because it creates a clear trail showing exactly what was tried and when, which matters if the finding is later revisited. And it protects the practice and the practitioner, by demonstrating that the obligation to follow up was taken seriously and acted on, rather than left to chance.
This is closely related to the broader question of who holds your dental records and for how long, which our guide to what happens to your dental records if a practice closes or is sold covers in detail. The same record-keeping obligations that protect your file long after a practice changes hands are what require contact attempts to be documented in the first place.
What happens if contact genuinely cannot be made
If reasonable attempts have been made and documented, and the patient still cannot be reached, the practice does not simply discard the finding. The result, the significance of the finding, and the record of every attempt to make contact remain in the patient's file. If the patient re-presents at the same practice at any point in the future, even years later, that history is there and can be acted on immediately.
Some practices will also flag a file in a way that prompts staff to raise the outstanding finding again if the patient does eventually make contact for an unrelated reason, such as booking a routine check-up. This is a sensible safeguard, though exactly how it is implemented varies between practices and practice management software.
What you can do to make sure you are reachable
The single most useful thing a patient can do is keep their contact details current with every dental practice they attend, and to actively confirm those details rather than assume they are correct. A phone number given three years ago at a first visit is easy to forget has changed. Practical steps that close this gap include confirming your current mobile number and address at every visit, not just at your first one, updating a practice directly as soon as your details change rather than waiting for your next appointment, and providing an alternative contact method, such as an email address or a secondary contact person, if you are someone who is often difficult to reach by phone.
It is also worth checking, out loud, what number or address a practice actually has on file at booking, rather than assuming reception has the latest version. This small habit, repeated at each visit, is a more reliable safeguard than any system a practice can build on its end, because you are the only person who always knows your own current details.
If you are moving between practices for any reason, our guide to changing dentists and transferring records and X-rays covers how to make sure your history, including any outstanding findings, travels with you rather than being left behind at your old practice.
If you believe a follow-up was missed
If you believe a significant finding was not followed up appropriately, whether because contact attempts fell short or for any other reason, this is a legitimate concern worth raising directly with the practice first, and escalating if needed. Our guide to how to make a complaint about dental treatment in NSW sets out who to contact and in what order, depending on the nature of the concern.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if a dental practice cannot reach me about a biopsy result?
The practice is expected to make and document reasonable attempts to contact you through the details on file, generally including more than one attempt and more than one method for a significant finding. If contact genuinely cannot be made, the finding and the record of attempts remain in your file for if and when you re-present.
How many times will a dentist try to contact me about an urgent finding?
There is no single fixed number. The expectation is that attempts are reasonable and proportionate to how significant the finding is, which in practice usually means more than one attempt through more than one contact method for anything urgent.
What should I do if I think my dentist has old contact details for me?
Contact the practice directly to update your phone number, address, and any other details, rather than waiting until your next scheduled visit. It is also worth confirming your details out loud at each appointment, since assumptions on both sides are usually where this goes wrong.
Is a dental practice required to keep trying to contact me indefinitely?
No. Once reasonable, documented attempts have been made, the obligation shifts to keeping an accurate record rather than pursuing contact indefinitely. That record remains available if you re-present at the practice in the future.
Can I ask my dentist what happens to test results if I cannot be reached?
Yes. It is a reasonable question to ask at any appointment involving a biopsy, referral, or significant imaging finding, and a practice that follows good record-keeping practice will be able to explain its process clearly.
Keeping your contact details current is a small habit that makes a genuine difference if you are ever the person a practice is trying to reach. If it has been a while since your last check-up, the team at Lumi Dental offers a new-patient appointment with current offers listed on the current deals page. This article is general information and does not replace advice from the relevant state health authority about your specific situation.
