Legal Documentation and Record Keeping

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Wednesday, July 8th, 2026 | 9am-12pm
This is a livestream webinar.

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Instructor:
Catherine Sarkis, JD, MBA

Professor Sarkis teaches courses in Bioethics, Jurisprudence, Health Law, and Risk Management. She is President-elect of the American Society of Dental Ethics, serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of the American College of Dentists, and the ADEA Professional, Ethical, and Legal Issues Section. She is a member of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, and the Academy for Professionalism in Healthcare.

Overview

Dental records are essential for ensuring continuity of patient care and serve as a critical component in the defense of a malpractice claim. This course emphasizes the role and importance of accurate, thorough documentation and outlines what should be recorded, as well as which forms are essential for maintaining a well-managed practice.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to implement an effective risk management system, assess their current practices, and identify and address areas of vulnerability.

Course Objectives

• Enhance doctor–patient communication
• Utilize informed consent effectively
• Appropriately document the dismissal of a “problem patient,” including rationale and process
• Apply key words and phrases to improve clarity and completeness of records
• Understand strategies for malpractice risk reduction
• Use documentation as a tool for preventive risk management
• Understand record retention requirements
• Identify required components of a complete dental record
• Ensure inclusion of a comprehensive patient health history

Teaching Method

Lecture

Recommended for

General dentists, specialists, office managers, office staff

Testimonials

“Attorney Sarkis was excellent with a very practical presentation of the subject.” – Dr. Anthony J. Sciuto, March 2018

“It’s always a pleasure to attend Cathy’s lectures, very open to questions throughout and dialogue. I learned from other dentists’ experiences as well as from her knowledge. Very thorough and informative and I will implement into my practice.” – Dr. Siri Steinle, April 2019

“Excellent instructor, well versed in the subject’s content” -Troy Savant, November 2023

“It’s an excellent course to revise record keeping and documentation” -Frank Tran, November 2023

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