Why clean data matters
Keeping your data clean and up to date in your practice management software ensures your practice performance is accurately reflected on MPC. Poor data quality — such as appointment diaries not being blocked correctly, former associates left active, or payments sitting unallocated — can lead to misleading figures, missed opportunities, and time wasted troubleshooting reports that don't add up. A little regular housekeeping goes a long way in keeping your practice running smoothly.
Use this guide to:
Understand the key areas where data can become messy
Learn simple habits to keep your data accurate
Identify which reports can help you spot data issues early
Patient records
Regularly check for duplicate patient records and merge where needed
Complete registration information fully at the point of creating new patient records rather than leaving fields blank e.g input the patient referral source, payor code and registered dentist
Provider & diary setup
Mark providers who have left the practice inactive and ensure their diaries are fully blocked
Ensure new providers are set up with the correct provider type (dentist, hygiene, therapist) from the outset
For Dentally users, it is recommended to use the "scheduled rotas" feature to block off the diaries.
🚨 Important to remember: Dentally users- blocking off the diaries using appointment reasons such as "Exam" with no patient name assigned will report as whitespace on our reports.
Appointment & booking data
If using test notes for training purposes to book appointments, ensure these are removed so they are not included in your FTA numbers
Mark FTAs accurately and promptly
Log cancellation reasons where possible, to support accurate cancellation reporting
Treatment plan data
Regularly review outstanding/incomplete treatment plans and follow up or close down where appropriate
Close down/transfer any treatment plans showing for associates that have left the practice or linked to any non clinical users e.g TCO, practice manager
Close down any treatment plans showing 100% invoiced, as all treatment is complete
If patient has numerous treatment plans to review all treatment options, ensure the plans they don't wish to proceed with are closed down
NHS contract & UDA data
Keep NHS contract details and targets up to date at the start of each contract year
Ensure providers are correctly linked to the right practice and contract
Ensure NHS treatment plans are being closed down and claims sent to the NHS so they do not show on the COTs at risk report
Reports to help you spot-check data quality
Use the Appointment Diary to check that diaries are set up accurately. If a diary shows 100% whitespace, this usually indicates it should be blocked off.
Find out more by clicking below:
The Potential Unblocked Diaries section on the Action Today dashboard flags any diaries that are open but have no appointments booked in.
Click the number under Potential Unblocked Diaries to open the full detail report. This will show you the provider, diary date, and time slots currently open. From here, head into your practice management software and block off the relevant time/mark provider diary fully inactive if they have left.
Use the New Patients Created Analysis report to check that all fields — such as referral source, payor code, and registered dentist — were completed when the patient record was created.
Find out more by clicking below:
Use the Providers List to review which clinicians are set up as active in your practice management software. If any providers listed as active have since left, mark them as inactive directly in your PMS.
Find out more by clicking below:
Ensure your treatment plan numbers are accurate by using the Treatment Plans by Period Detail report. This will clearly show if there are active plans open for previous clinicians, incorrect providers such as TCO, practice manager users and treatment plans which have been fully invoiced but not closed down.
Find out more by clicking below:
Use the NHS UDA Targets to check your contract details and targets are accurate and up to date.
Find out more by clicking below: