How to get records from a closed clinic? (dental)

[Matthew]

I see a general dentist on a regular basis, and he referred me to a local periodontist for some additional work. I've seen the perio for a few years now and had an appointment earlier this week. I showed up and his place was closed. It wasn't just closed because of the corona virus shut down, it looked closed for good. I tried to do some detective work on my own and it seems the practice closed about 6-8 weeks ago with no notice.

I haven't been able to reach him or anyone associated with that place and am wondering how to get a copy of my records.

Any ideas on where to start? I've already tried to contact my regular dentist, but haven't heard back yet - that office is closed temporarily during the shut-down so I don't know how often they return calls or emails.

 

[Kenny Phillips]

Short answer: you can't.
Long answer: Check to see if you periodontist is still alive (seriously). There are requirements to keep records, so they should be available at a certain point (when our present crisis has abated somewhat), even if the guy is dead or seriously ill. Ultimately, it is possible that you can't get the records (I know of a local doctor who died, and his kids had someone clean up his office, and they pitched the records—old school, paper only stuff!) so hopefully there is nothing that a new perio cannot evaluate and continue treatment.
As to getting them now, I'd sit on it for a few weeks, unless you are having issues that require treatment.

 

[rk911]

you might see if your state has a medical/dental society he was a member of. contact your state's licensing agency.

 

[Tommar98]

I would contact the board of dental/medical licensing in your state.


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[Matthew]

Short answer: you can't.
Long answer: Check to see if you periodontist is still alive (seriously). There are requirements to keep records, so they should be available at a certain point (when our present crisis has abated somewhat), even if the guy is dead or seriously ill. Ultimately, it is possible that you can't get the records (I know of a local doctor who died, and his kids had someone clean up his office, and they pitched the records—old school, paper only stuff!) so hopefully there is nothing that a new perio cannot evaluate and continue treatment.
As to getting them now, I'd sit on it for a few weeks, unless you are having issues that require treatment.

Nothing major, it just hit me by surprise. I have tried finding his name in the news and obits, but haven't seen anything

you might see if your state has a medical/dental society he was a member of. contact your state's licensing agency.

My own regular dentist has referred a number of patients there. I'm assuming that if anyone knows what's going in it would be him. I'm waiting to hear back.


edit;

This guy does/did a lot of implant work for a lot of people. That's the kind of thing that takes a long time to complete. I wonder if they've been contacted? The office is inside one of those medical buildings, the door to that suite has a window in it and it looks like everything is still there, but the sign has been torn off the wall. He had some family pictures on the walls, but I didn't see if they are still up. It's almost like he called from the Bahamas with a new girlfriend, told the staff 'see ya' and called it quits, then the staff walked out, closed the door behind them, and yanked the sign off the outer wall.

 

[Kenny Phillips]

Nothing major, it just hit me by surprise. ... and yanked the sign off the outer wall.

Yeow. Hopefully he wasn't caught in some sort of Medicare fraud.

 

[lsaway]

Yeow. Hopefully he wasn't caught in some sort of Medicare fraud.

A local dentist in my area was being investigated by medicare, and suddenly there was a fire that destroyed their records room. I know this has nothing to do with the OP's dentist, but things like this do happen.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

I'd figure any doc you now visit will just take their own rads, poke around and you'll start fresh with them. Anything unusual, you can probably tell them what happened?

 

[Matthew]

I'd figure any doc you now visit will just take their own rads, poke around and you'll start fresh with them. Anything unusual, you can probably tell them what happened?

Yeah, for me it’s no big deal. He and my regular dentist shared notes. The whole thing is strange, though.

 

[Matthew]

I took a chance his email was still live and he responded yesterday. “...due to some recent health and business concerns...”, he’s closed and in the process selling his practice. He did say he’d get me copies of records, but I think I’ll hold off for a little while and see how this plays out. I hope he’s OK, I like the guy.

 

[Matthew]

I told the perio-doc that I'd wait to see what happened with the sale of his practice before I would request copies of my records. In the mail on Saturday was a package from him with my paperwork. I guess this means the sale isn't going through. I haven't actually opened it yet, but I'm assuming it's either my records or copies of them.

 

[RJM62]

I told the perio-doc that I'd wait to see what happened with the sale of his practice before I would request copies of my records. In the mail on Saturday was a package from him with my paperwork. I guess this means the sale isn't going through. I haven't actually opened it yet, but I'm assuming it's either my records or copies of them.

It doesn't mean anything other than that he sent you the records you requested, as most doctors will gladly do. I've only had one doctor in my life who didn't send me everything I asked for, and that was because I asked for records for services performed 20 years prior and the handwritten records no longer existed. But he sent me what he had (billing records with codes), which were all I actually needed for the VA.

Rich

 

[Matthew]

It doesn't mean anything other than that he sent you the records you requested, as most doctors will gladly do. I've only had one doctor in my life who didn't send me everything I asked for, and that was because I asked for records for services performed 20 years prior and the handwritten records no longer existed. But he sent me what he had (billing records with codes), which were all I actually needed for the VA.

Rich

Maybe it was just a courtesy. But I did tell him to hold onto those records since he said he was selling the practice and I might have wanted to stick with the new guy. Now that he's sent them to me I'll start shopping around. Today our dentists were good to reopen.