title: [Requirements regarding health records: transfer or copy].
abstract: Dutch law requires every healthcare provider, which obviously includes dentists, to maintain health records. Most of the rules governing the health record requirement are in the Law of Agreement to Medical Treatment (WGBO). And, as is often the case with the law, interpretation is left to the (disciplinary)judge. There is, in fact, a considerable amount of legal precedent concerning what information belongs in the health record. It is not uncommon for a dentist to be on the losing side in a legal proceeding because his defence is not supported by the health record. And if it becomes clear that (a portion of) the health record has been destroyed, despite the legal requirement to maintain records, in this too the dentist can count on little sympathy from the judge. In a recent judgment, the Central Disciplinary Committee was more severe than ever- with far-reaching consequences for the relevant dentist.
authors.affiliation: Uit de Tandartsenpraktijk Apeldoornseweg in Vaassen, Netherlands wbrands1@kpnmail.nl
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Brands
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: van der Ven
authors.forename: M A J
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Eijkman
mesh_terms: D003813:Dentistry / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007603:Jurisprudence; D007879:Legislation, Dental; D016365:Liability, Legal; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D009426:Netherlands