Live User Manual

1. 1Open Google Chrome – this is the preferred browser for OrthoBridge.
2. 2Type https://uk.orthobridge.eu into the address bar and press Enter.
3. 3Enter your username and password to access the system.

The left toolbar holds the main areas of OrthoBridge. Here is what the key icons do.

• Patient search – search by first name, surname, DOB, email or phone. One result opens the chart automatically; a list lets you pick.
• Patient tracker – see which patients are currently In-Chair or in the Waiting Room.
• Appointment Book – opens all clinician diaries in a separate tab. Double-click an appointment to search for the patient.
• Referrers – search for a referring dentist or view the full list.
• Stock Control – track practice stock and place orders.
• NHS – the claim tracker dashboard and Dental Referrals.
• Practice Growth – Google reviews, peer ratings and the complaints tracker.
• Reports – all practice reports.
• Patient Connect – brochures, guides, consent forms and letter, email & SMS templates.
• Manage Lists – add, edit and delete practice lists.
• Practice Settings – set-up, staff, scheduling, services, look-up codes, procedure codes, forms, gallery manager and network access.
• User Manual – opens this manual. Kiosk Mode – patient self-check-in.

Go to Practice Settings > Practice Set-Up to configure your main settings. Click the three bars next to a Location and select Edit to open the General Configuration options.

• Practice Details
• SMS Settings
• Email reminder template
• Appointment Settings
• Letter editor configuration
• Patient Chart Options
• Print & Brand Settings
• Device integrations

Other key set-up areas include NHS & Claims reference numbers, self check-in rules, calendar settings, time zone, default dial code, single sign-on, currency options and integration settings.

Set or change a patient's location

1. 1When adding a new patient, choose the location from the drop-down in the Add New section.
2. 2To change it later, click the blue location marker on the patient's summary box, select the location and confirm in the pop-up.

Switching between locations

1. 1Use the location switch icon at the top of the screen.
2. 2The menu only shows locations you can switch to – it does not list the one you are already in.

Good to know

• Shared across all sites: patient statuses, staff, referrers, procedure categories and codes, appointment types, charting comments and payment sources.
• Specific to a site: surgery chairs (assigned to clinician calendars).
• Financials post to the location the patient is assigned to, not the one you are working in.

1. 1Click the Patients icon.
2. 2Click the Add new patient icon.
3. 3Enter the patient's details: name, DOB, gender, address, mobile and email. Select a location if you have multiple.
4. 4Select the patient's Status Code (e.g. New Patient, NHS Active, Private Active). This badge always shows at the top of the chart.
5. 5Select the payment provider – e.g. NHS or Private.
6. 6Enter who referred the patient and the date of referral.
7. 7Select the assigned specialist and add any general notes.
8. 8Click Add patient to save the record.

1. 1From the home screen, search for the patient using the search bar.
2. 2Double-click the patient to open their records.
3. 3Double-click the 3 bars in the top right corner to reveal 6 options.
4. 4Click Delete patient data.
5. 5Select Yes, Delete permanently to confirm.
6. 6A confirmation pop-up will confirm the action is complete.

1. 1Go to the Photo Sets tab in the patient chart.
2. 2Select the photo set with the picture you want, then click the matrix view (eye) symbol.
3. 3Hover over the photo and double-click. From the drop-down, select Set as patient avatar and click Apply Update.
4. 4The photo now appears next to the patient's name in their chart.

1. 1Click the Practice Settings icon.
2. 2Click Practice Staff.
3. 3Click Add New and enter the new user's details.
4. 4Find and open the new user's profile.
5. 5Set their security permissions – choose what they can and can't access, then press Update permissions.
6. 6Click Manage Restrictions to set daily login start and finish times.
7. 7Go to Allowed Appointment Types and tick the appointments they can access.
8. 8Add their GDC number and qualifications to their profile.
9. 9For NHS users, go to UK NHS Credentials and add their GDC number and NHS DPB pin.

Add a new referring dentist

1. 1Click the Referrers icon.
2. 2Click Search to Add New.
3. 3Enter the contact details and click Add Contact.

Edit an existing referring dentist

1. 1Click the Referrers icon and select Search.
2. 2Enter the referrer's lookup code or name and press Search.
3. 3Select the dentist, edit their details, then click Update at the bottom.
4. 4To remove them, untick the Active contact box.

Linking siblings and family members lets you view linked diaries, check outstanding balances and jump straight to the related chart – so managing family appointments and finances is faster.

Link from a patient chart

1. 1Open the patient chart and scroll to the Linked tab.
2. 2Search for the patient you want to link and click Create link.
3. 3Select the relation from the pop-up (e.g. sibling, parent).
4. 4Any outstanding balances for linked patients display below. You can link as many patients as needed.

Link when adding a new patient

1. 1When adding the patient, use the Link a patient search to find the existing family member.
2. 2Use Copy address / email / mobile to pre-fill shared contact details and save time.

Medical alerts

Medical alerts show at the top of the chart and pop up wherever you go within the patient. They can be viewed and edited at any time.

Promises & social activities

Use the Promises area to record important events for the patient, and Social Activities to note anything they attend.

Parents tab

See any parents or guardians here. With multiple parents you can mark who is the emergency contact and who receives letters, correspondence, payments and billing.

Text messages

1. 1Click open on the Text Messages area to view or send two-way text messages to the patient.

Change patient details

1. 1Click Edit details to change any patient information.
2. 2You can also mark whether the patient has consented to marketing or wants to receive Google reviews.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings.
2. 2Click Practice Set-up > Location > Edit Details.
3. 3Scroll down to Appointment reminders.
4. 4Select how many hours before the appointment to send the reminder. Note: reminders always send at 9am.
5. 5To include a consent form link, click Consent forms link and paste it into the message.

Any patient still in patient flow at midnight automatically appears in the Did Not Attend / Incomplete list the next morning.

1. 1Click the Patients tab drop-down and select Did not attend / Incomplete.
2. 2Double-click a patient to open their file if needed.
3. 3Click Process in the last column.
4. 4Select a status: Cancelled by patient, DNA, Cancelled by practice, or Completed successfully – not processed on day.
5. 5Add any notes to the patient's file.
6. 6Tick boxes to send a text message, DNA letter by email, or add to the practice recalls list.
7. 7Click Continue to remove them from the list.

Option 1 – Lightning search (recommended)

The fastest way to book. It finds all available slots with the selected clinician within a 2-week window, minimising gaps in the diary.

1. 1Search for the patient by name, DOB, email or phone. Select them to open their chart.
2. 2If a clinician has pre-scheduled the appointment type, click To Schedule. Otherwise go to the Diary tab and click Add appointment.
3. 3Complete the appointment details and click Search. Available slots appear automatically. You can tick to include 'open' blocks in the results.
4. 4Select your preferred day and time. Add an interval if needed, or choose Match appointment time.
5. 5Click Book now, complete the booking form, and select Confirm booking.

Option 2 – Appointment book

1. 1Click the Appointment Book tab. It opens in a separate tab showing all clinician diaries.
2. 2Find an open slot and double-click it.
3. 3Search for the patient, enter the appointment type and time. Tick to send a confirmation email if required.
4. 4Click Complete.

Video appointments show a blue camera symbol next to them in the chart and in patient flow.

1. 1On the patient's chart, select + Add appointment.
2. 2Search for the next available appointments.
3. 3Select Video as the type.
4. 4The patient receives an email link to the video call, available until the appointment time. In the chart you'll get a button to start the session.
5. 5When you start the appointment, move the patient to In-Chair. The patient's video appears on screen.
6. 6At the end of the session the patient chart updates as normal.

1. 1In the diary, double-click the appointment (in the chair).
2. 2Click the arrow symbol to open the patient file.
3. 3Click the plus symbol to view patient notes.
4. 4Hover over an appointment and click once to view the type, edit, delete or copy to clipboard.
5. 5You can also right-click the appointment to edit, delete or copy to clipboard.

Use a blocker to prevent appointments being booked during a specific time, for example a team meeting or lunch break.

1. 1Open the Appointment Book and select the date.
2. 2Double-click anywhere in the chair you want to block.
3. 3Click Add blocker.
4. 4Tick the boxes to select which staff members to block time for.
5. 5Enter the start time and duration of the block.
6. 6Add a reason (e.g. Team meeting) and click Add blocker.

This adjusts a staff member's schedule for one specific day instead of all scheduling.

1. 1Click the Appointment Book icon and select the date.
2. 2Click Adjust Schedules.
3. 3Click Manage Timeslots for the staff member you want to adjust.
4. 4Click the slot(s) you want to add – hold Shift to select multiple.
5. 5Use the drop-downs to select the appointment type(s) and orthodontist, and add an advisory note if needed.
6. 6Click Assign Selection to save.

1. 1Hover over the appointment until you see the double-headed arrow.
2. 2Hold the mouse button and drag to the required end time.
3. 3Tick the boxes to send an email confirmation or text message, then click Save event.

Appointment confirmation emails let patients submit a cancellation request. To remove that option:

1. 1Click Practice Settings > Practice Setup, then Edit details next to Locations.
2. 2Find Cancellation Threshold for Appointments (hours).
3. 3Enter 0 hours – this removes the option from the confirmation email.

Appointments needing a supervisor have a set supervision length and an offset start time relative to the main appointment. To change it in the book:

1. 1Double-click the supervised appointment in the diary.
2. 2Use the pop-up to adjust the offset start time.

From patient flow (same-day)

1. 1Find the patient in Patient Flow and click the Menu action bar.
2. 2Select Update, Cancel or Rebook appointment.
3. 3To rebook: click Reschedule – this opens Lightning Search to book a new slot.
4. 4To cancel: click Cancel Event, then set the appointment status.

From the appointment book

1. 1Open the Appointment Book, find the appointment and right-click.
2. 2Select Delete event to cancel, or Copy to clipboard to rebook.
3. 3To rebook: drag the appointment from the clipboard into a new slot.
4. 4To cancel: set the appointment status from the drop-down.

Appointment status options

• Cancelled by patient
• DNA – Did Not Attend
• Cancelled by practice
• Completed successfully – not processed on day

1. 1Choose how to view the book – Day, Week or Month.
2. 2Click and drag the appointment to the new slot – you can change the time, the chair, or the length.
3. 3A confirmation email is sent automatically, and you can also send an SMS.

Patient flow is your electronic day list showing every patient due in, grouped into Active, Late/DNA/WNB, Cancelled and Completed tabs. You can filter by name, orthodontist or chair (filters save for up to 10 hours).

Check-in

1. 1When the patient arrives, find them in patient flow – their status shows as Booked.
2. 2Click the Menu action bar and select Check-in. Status changes to Waiting Area.
3. 3When the clinician is ready, click Move to Surgery. Status updates to Operatory and the file opens.
4. 4The clinician clicks Start session – status becomes In-Chair and clinical notes can be added.
5. 5At the end, the clinician clicks Save and close. Status updates to Out of Chair.

Check-out

1. 1Once the next appointment is booked, return to patient flow.
2. 2Click the Menu action bar and select Move to Completed.

Configure print headings, footers and margins first, before making any letter or email templates.

1. 1Click Practice Settings > Practice Set Up > Locations > Edit details.
2. 2Scroll down to add or edit your practice logo.
3. 3Copy and paste the logo, then add your telephone, email and website to the PDF Page Header and Footer section (no coding needed).
4. 4Copy and paste the logo and create your email footer, which is added automatically when an email is created.
5. 5Click Save settings.

1. 1Click the Patient Connect tab and select Letter Templates.
2. 2Click Add New, choose a unique look-up code, write a short description and click Create code.
3. 3Click the look-up code to open the empty template – it pulls in the logo and email footer from brand settings.
4. 4Enter the template title (e.g. Welcome) and select the recipient type (e.g. parent/guardian or referrer).
5. 5Choose a Send/Save option for non-ortho staff: Save As Draft/For Review (restricts sending of clinical letters) or Save As Draft/For Review/Print (Send) (anyone can send).
6. 6Header and footer are included automatically – untick to remove. Print orientation and margins can be changed.
7. 7In the Template Editor, type your letter and use the content manager filter to insert patient fields and defined sections (with short codes).
8. 8Place your cursor where you want a merge field and click it to insert.
9. 9Go back to the top and click Save. The template appears top-left – single-click to view or edit.

Link a letter to a form so completed answers (e.g. a treatment plan) pull through automatically.

1. 1Click Patient Connect > Letter Templates > Add New.
2. 2Choose a unique look-up code, write a short description and click Create code.
3. 3Click the code to open the empty template (logo and footer pull in automatically).
4. 4Enter the title (e.g. Clinical Assessment) and recipient type (e.g. referrer).
5. 5In the Template Editor, type your letter and use the content manager filter (e.g. Clinical Assessment) to insert the relevant patient fields and defined sections.
6. 6Place your cursor and click a merge field to insert it. Edit the covering email if needed.
7. 7Click Save. The template appears top-left – single-click to view or edit.

1. 1Open the patient chart and click the Letters/Docs tab.
2. 2Click Compose letter. Filter by name or hover over the letter and click OPEN.
3. 3Patient information pulls through automatically – click in the template to free-type any extras.
4. 4Click Send via Email to send immediately.
5. 5Or click Save draft to finish later (shows as a draft in the chart).
6. 6Or click Save draft & create PDF if it needs reviewing (e.g. by an orthodontist) – it pulls into Letters for Review.

Attach files to a letter

1. 1Open the patient chart and click Letters/Docs, then Compose letter.
2. 2Select the letter, then click Images/Files/Brochures.
3. 3Select the items to attach and click Send via Email.

Upload a received file (e.g. a referral)

1. 1In the chart, click Attach/Upload file and drag and drop the file into the patient's notes.

Delete an uploaded file

1. 1Open the chart and click Letters/Docs.
2. 2Scroll to Attach/Upload files.
3. 3Click the bin icon to the right of the file.

Queued letters

Any letter linked to a procedure code pulls automatically into Queued Letters in the chart (Files/Letters tab), and into Follow-up Letters under the Letters tab on the left.

Letters for review

1. 1Click Letters > Letters for Review.
2. 2Letters display in a filterable list. Click Edit to open and review in a new tab.
3. 3When you click Send via email, a pop-up asks whether to remove the letter from the queue.

Look-up codes are the answers to your form questions. Create them in Practice Settings, then link them to form questions so they generate answers – and pull content into patient and referrer letters.

Add a look-up code category

1. 1Go to Practice Settings > Look-Up Codes and click Add New.
2. 2Add a short title, a category name and a short code, then click Create category.

Add a look-up code (the answer)

1. 1Click the three lines under Status for your category and select Edit look-up codes.
2. 2Click Add New, add the code name and description, and pick a display colour.
3. 3Add optional text to appear on the GDP or patient letter when this answer is selected.

Build a consent form

1. 1Click Patient Connect > Form Builder > Practice Forms > Add New.
2. 2Enter the form title in General > Title.
3. 3Use the question drop-down to add question types, customise answers, mark a question as required, or delete it.
4. 4For a follow-up that only appears on a certain answer, add another question and use Logic on the right – pick the controlling question and the reply that triggers visibility, then Apply.
5. 5Change single-line input to long text where patients need more space.

Create & link a badge

1. 1Go to Patient Connect > Form Builder > Consent Types > Add New.
2. 2Add the consent name, a badge name and a patient description, set the validity in months, choose the form to link, and click Save changes.

Send from the patient chart

1. 1In the chart, click Consents/Forms and Select consents.
2. 2Click Open consent forms to complete in practice, or Email consent forms to send to the patient.

Create a new SMS template

1. 1Click Patient Connect > SMS Templates > Add New.
2. 2Choose a unique look-up code, write a short description and click Create code.
3. 3Click the code to open the empty template and add a template name.
4. 4Set the SMS 'from' box to 0 if it should be one-way only.
5. 5Use the search button to insert data fields from the drop-downs.
6. 6To add an outstanding consent link, click the blue Consent forms link button and paste it into the body.
7. 7Click Save template.

Edit an SMS template

1. 1Go to Patient Connect > SMS Templates and select the template.
2. 2Edit the details, then click Save template.

Create a new email template

1. 1Click Patient Connect > Email Templates > Add New.
2. 2Choose a unique look-up code, write a short description and click Create code.
3. 3Click the code to open the empty template (logo and footer pull in automatically).
4. 4Enter the email subject and recipient type.
5. 5Type your message or use the content manager filter to insert patient fields and defined sections.
6. 6With emails (not letters) you can insert a practice form link – choose the form and click Insert link.
7. 7Tick any guides or brochures to attach, then Save template.

Add a video link

1. 1In the template, click Insert > Link.
2. 2Paste the video URL (e.g. from YouTube) into the top box.
3. 3Customise the link text the patient sees, click Save, then save the template.

Email tracking

From the chart, open Email/SMS to see the tracker. A green dot marks each status: Delivered, Opened or Failed. Click View for content or Open for full tracking detail.

Lists stop patients getting lost in the system. The patient lists box at the bottom of the chart shows which lists a patient is on – click Add to add them to one (e.g. DNA or Invisalign waiting list).

Create, edit or delete a list

1. 1Click the Manage Lists tab and click Add New.
2. 2Enter a name and any advisory notes, then click Continue.
3. 3To edit, click the 3 bars and select List Settings, make changes and click Continue.
4. 4To delete, select Delete this list.

1. 1Go to Practice Lists and select your list.
2. 2Optionally tick Enable target date selection, choose dates and click Search.
3. 3Click the first row, then hold Shift and click the last row to select a range.
4. 4Click Email selection.
5. 5Select an email template and the From/Reply-To address.
6. 6Click Send email.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings > Look-up Codes.
2. 2Type predefined comments in the search bar and click Update settings.
3. 3Hover over the look-up code you want and single-click it.
4. 4Make your changes (including font size and colour) and save.

Tracking is a full record of what has happened to a patient – including when forms were loaded, opened and submitted.

Send or view SMS / email

1. 1Open the chart and click the Email/SMS tab.
2. 2Send a one-way SMS via Send SMS Message; tick the mobile number, type your message and click Send message.
3. 3For two-way texts, use Text Messages in the chart. View history under the SMS history tab.
4. 4To email, click Compose email, choose a template (or type the address), add attachments and click Send Email.

1. 1Click the Patient Connect icon and select Brochures and Patient Guides.
2. 2Click Add New.
3. 3Drop your PDF into the red box.
4. 4Give it a title and a short description.
5. 5Click Upload File – it joins your document list, where you can open or delete it.

Processing a retail item automatically updates stock levels and items sold. A stock check records the physical quantity versus the expected amount.

View stock details

1. 1Go to Stock Control > Practice Stock.
2. 2Click a stock item to see its details. The retail sales report below can be exported to Excel or PDF.

Complete a stock check

1. 1Go to Stock Control > Practice Stock and click your item.
2. 2Click Stock check and enter the physical quantity (the expected amount shows in brackets).
3. 3The check date and quantity now display in the stock details. Use Stock take history to see who checked and when.

Step 1 – Create a proposal

1. 1Open the chart, go to the Contracts tab and click + Contract proposal.
2. 2Select the type of treatment (e.g. Invisalign).
3. 3Enter the cost of treatment and add any notes.
4. 4Select who is responsible for paying.
5. 5Select the payment type: Pay in full, Finance Company or Term Repayments.
6. 6Enter any discounts and deposit – the balance updates automatically.
7. 7Use the slider to work out monthly payments, choose the intervals (e.g. monthly) and start date.
8. 8Click Save changes – the contract is saved as a Proposal.

Step 2 – Convert to an active contract

1. 1In the Contracts tab, click the action box at the end of the proposal row.
2. 2Select Convert proposal to contract and click Continue.
3. 3Status changes to Active. Debits show in red, credits in green.

If a patient pays via a finance company, you can record the finance charge you incur so you can report and track it.

1. 1Open the contract and enter the finance charge.
2. 2It displays in the patient's ledger as a FINANCE CHARGE but does not show on the patient's statement.

Stripe lets patients pay online. Once the link is sent, the patient links their bank account and payments reflect automatically in OrthoBridge.

1. 1Open the chart and go to the Contracts tab.
2. 2Click the action box to open the drop-down.
3. 3Click the Stripe option – a pop-up appears.
4. 4For a one-off payment, enter the amount. For a recurring payment, tick the recurring box.
5. 5Enter the patient's email. If a parent is paying, the parent's email must be set up in the child's profile.
6. 6Click Create links – the patient receives an email with the payment link and statement.

1. 1Open the chart, go to Contracts and create or open an active contract.
2. 2Click the action menu at the end of the contract row.
3. 3Select GoCardless from the payment options.
4. 4Enter the patient's email (this should auto-fill from their profile).
5. 5Click Create links – the patient is emailed billing dates and a setup link.
6. 6Once they complete setup, they get a confirmation within about an hour. Payments appear automatically in the transactions ledger.

Auto-payments collect the monthly amount automatically, with no manual intervention – set per patient and per contract.

1. 1Open the chart and click the Contracts tab.
2. 2On an active contract, click the action lines at the end of the row.
3. 3Select Auto Payment Schedule – the contract is marked with an orange AUTO tab.
4. 4Payment auto-deducts on the same date each month and lists in the ledger as Auto Payment.

Send a statement

1. 1Open the chart and go to the Contracts tab.
2. 2Click the action box at the end of the contract row.
3. 3Select Issue statement.
4. 4Enter the patient's email and send – the statement saves as a PDF in the Files/Letters tab.

Resend a statement

1. 1Go to the Email/SMS tab and click Compose email.
2. 2Select your statement email template.
3. 3Click the Attachments tab and select the saved statement PDF.
4. 4Click Send email.

1. 1Open Contracts and scroll to the transaction ledger.
2. 2Click the Issue button in the Receipt column for the relevant transaction.
3. 3Select the email address to send the receipt to.

1. 1Open the chart and go to the Contracts tab.
2. 2Click the action box and select Log Payment.
3. 3Select how the patient paid (e.g. cash).
4. 4Free-type a description (e.g. deposit) and enter the amount.
5. 5Tick to email the statement if needed, then click Log payment.
6. 6The payment updates the balance and appears in the transaction ledger.

1. 1Open the chart and go to the Contracts tab.
2. 2Click the action box to open the drop-down.
3. 3Select debit or credit adjustment.
4. 4Select the type of adjustment (e.g. refund) and enter the amount.
5. 5Add a note and click Apply adjustment – it updates the balance and ledger.

1. 1Open the chart and go to the Contracts tab.
2. 2Click the action box to open the repayment schedule.
3. 3Select the date the patient wants to start payments.
4. 4Select the payment intervals (e.g. monthly).
5. 5Enter the number of months to pay over.
6. 6Click Recalculate schedule – the new schedule shows in the transaction ledger.

1. 1Open the chart and click the Contracts tab.
2. 2Click the action bar (3 lines) next to the contract and select Cancel contract.
3. 3Enter a reason for cancelling.
4. 4Tick the box if a refund is required and enter the amount.
5. 5Click Cancel contract to confirm.

Completed or cancelled contracts can be reactivated, putting them back to Active with a zero balance so they can be adjusted.

1. 1Open the patient's chart and click the Contracts tab.
2. 2Click the action bar (3 lines) next to the contract.
3. 3Click Delete contract permanently.

Set the maximum overpayment allowed over a patient's outstanding balance per contract (up to 5,000).

1. 1Go to Practice Settings > Practice Set Up.
2. 2Find the Log payments section and enter the maximum overpayment.

Add a stock sundry item to your inventory

1. 1Go to Stock Control > Unlisted Suppliers and click View next to the supplier.
2. 2Click + New Item and enter the product code, description, unit, quantity and price, then tick Item is active and available.
3. 3Go to Stock Control > Supplier Catalogues, search the product code and open the item.
4. 4Click + Add to Practice Inventory and Continue.

Make a retail payment

1. 1In the chart, open the Retail tab and select Retail point of sale.
2. 2Search the product and click the + to add it (repeat for more).
3. 3Click Click to complete sale, enter the payment method and patient email, and click Continue.

1. 1In the chart, click the Procedures tab and search for the procedure.
2. 2If there is a cost, a box shows the amount.
3. 3Choose the payment option: charge to retail sales or charge as contract adjustment.
4. 4If charging to a contract, select the payment plan balance to adjust.
5. 5Click Add Charge – it pulls into the Retail section.
6. 6Open the Retail tab to take payment.

Reverse a retail transaction

1. 1Open the Retail tab and scroll to the Retail Ledger.
2. 2Right-click the transaction and select Reverse this transaction.
3. 3Enter the reason and click Continue – it shows as Reversed with the reason.

Reactivate a completed sale

1. 1In the Retail tab, find the completed sale and click the action bar (3 lines).
2. 2Click Re-activate sale and confirm – status returns to Active.

Delete a payment (contract or retail)

1. 1Open the Contracts or Retail tab and go to the Transaction Ledger.
2. 2Click DELETE next to the payment and confirm.
3. 3The balance updates, and who deleted it and when is logged in the tracker.

1. 1Select the Contracts or Retail tab.
2. 2If the sale is marked completed, reactivate it first.
3. 3Click the action bar (3 lines) and select Refund payment.
4. 4Choose the refund type (e.g. cash) and check/alter the amount.
5. 5Add a reason. Only tick update balance if required (e.g. a missed auto-payment).
6. 6Click Refund now.

1. 1Reactivate the completed sale.
2. 2Click the action bar (3 lines) and select Delete contract permanently.
3. 3Select Delete permanently to confirm.

Refunds are highlighted in the report section – in both Accounts Receivable and Income Summary.

Accounts Receivable

1. 1Go to Reports > Accounts Receivable and click Run report.
2. 2Click the sales no. to view – the patient ledger shows the refund.

Income Summary

1. 1Go to Reports > Income Summary.
2. 2Select your date range and click Search.
3. 3Under Category, click Adjustment to display all refunds.

The coloured badges at the top of the chart give an at-a-glance summary of the patient.

• Name & ID number
• Medical Alert – hover for allergies
• Status Code (e.g. NP – New Patient) – click to edit general info
• Next Appointment & Recall date
• Accepted for treatment / Marketing consent
• Payment Provider (e.g. NHS) and method (e.g. SO)
• GoCardless badge if applicable
• Records prompt – what's still needed before bonding (disappears when complete)

Doctors (referring dentist)

1. 1Open the Doctors tab to see the referring dentist.
2. 2Click the blue pen to add a doctor/referrer.
3. 3Click the red symbol to remove a doctor/referrer.

Assigned specialist

1. 1See the patient's assigned orthodontist here.
2. 2Click Edit to assign a different orthodontist or therapist.

Notes can only be added once the session has started (status In-Chair).

1. 1At the top, use pre-defined notes – click the space bar in the search to see all, then select.
2. 2Free-type your own notes in the open box. Each clinician can choose a font colour so it's clear who wrote what.
3. 3Or use the Checklist box: select short codes in the order you want, then Continue.
4. 4Quick method: type a forward slash / then a pre-defined note code (e.g. 444) and press space.
5. 5Use the Procedure tab to add procedures not pulled in by the appointment type.
6. 6Use the Stock tab to add consumables.
7. 7Use the Next appts tab to schedule follow-ups – add the clinician, timeframe, type, procedures and comments, then Add to list.
8. 8Click Save draft to step out (e.g. for an X-ray) or Save & Close to finish – status moves to Out-of-Chair.

Edit notes (until midnight that day)

1. 1Once the patient is Out-of-Chair, open the chart and go to the notes section.
2. 2Click Edit – the treatment card opens for you to amend or add notes.

View notes

Post-treatment notes are on the right of the screen. Filter them by type:

• General – e.g. administrative notes
• Clinical – e.g. procedures carried out
• Private – e.g. a complaint (editable and deletable any time)

General and clinical notes can be edited up to midnight on the day of the appointment.

Mechanics table

On the left, record the upper/lower arch wires, brackets and appliances the patient needs.

Aligner plan

1. 1On the right, open the Aligners tab and click Aligner set-up.
2. 2Fill out the details – the change interval defaults to 7 days but can be modified.
3. 3Click Save Plan. You can also plan IPR; a yellow box shows when IPR is planned.

Plan IPR

Plan the patient's IPR, then click Log IPR once done – it shows as completed in the tracker. Completed IPR can be edited via the blue Edit until midnight the same day.

BPE (perio)

Use the Perio tab to add BPE data into a basic periodontal chart.

1. 1Under the Assessment and Plan tab, add or find the clinical assessment and treatment plan.
2. 2The clinical assessment can't be edited after midnight – use Add New if it needs changing.
3. 3Edit the treatment plan any time with Edit plan.
4. 4Use Complete or Complete and send letter at the bottom of the plan or assessment.

Procedures & reminders

The Procedure tab lists all procedures carried out and by whom; add any that didn't pull through (deletable until midnight). Use Add Reminder to set a prompt that pops up next time you see the patient.

For best display, set your camera to a 4:3 aspect ratio when taking orthodontic images.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings > Gallery Manager > Add gallery.
2. 2Add a title/description and select a layout and grid image sizing.
3. 3Select an Image Stage if this gallery is a default for a particular stage.
4. 4Tick if it should be an upload zone option, and choose any images to mirror-flip on upload.
5. 5Use the Select gallery option drop-downs to set the display order – fill all positions (use 'no image leave blank' where needed).
6. 6Click Save gallery – it joins the upload-zone drop-down in the chart.

Upload photos

1. 1Search for the patient, open the Photo Sets tab and click Upload Zone.
2. 2Select the treatment stage, add any notes and choose a gallery upload order.
3. 3Drag and drop (or select) images into the box.
4. 4Click Upload files.

Build & re-order a photo set

1. 1Click Build photo set and drag images into the order you want.
2. 2Click Create image set – it appears in the patient's photo sets.
3. 3To re-order later, use the downward arrow beside the set, drag images in the matrix, and Save changes.

Image editor

1. 1Select Image editor and choose the image – it opens in the matrix to edit.

Delete a single image

1. 1Open the photo set in matrix view (click the eye) and double-click the photo.
2. 2Select Delete image and confirm the double verification.

Photo canvas & image options

1. 1Use Photo canvas to drag images from any set side by side (e.g. before/after).
2. 2Click Save to add the canvas image to the patient's document folder, choosing the details and formats to include.
3. 3In the matrix, double-click an image and choose flip, mirror or rotate, then Continue.

Upload digital images

1. 1Open the Digital Imaging tab – the action box opens your X-ray software (OPGs/cephs pull in automatically).
2. 2To upload from another practice, select Upload OPG or Lateral Ceph.
3. 3Drag and drop the images into the red box.

Print images

1. 1Open the patient and click Photo Canvas.
2. 2Drag 2–12 images into the box on the right and click Save.
3. 3Choose optional patient details, tick Adobe Acrobat PDF and/or Generated image, and click Continue – the file saves to your downloads.
4. 4Open the download and print. The canvas is also added to the patient's document folder.

Record the reason for the X-ray, the kV, mA and exposure duration.

1. 1Go to Patient's File > Digital Imaging.
2. 2Find the image and click Grade/Execute.
3. 3Enter your rating, operator, who prescribed it, date/time, X-ray type, exposure (kV, mA, secs), reasons, confirmations and notes.
4. 4Click Save grading.

1. 1Search for the patient and select Digital Imaging.
2. 2Select Upload Lateral CEPHs and drop the X-ray into the red box (or click to select).
3. 3Select the date of the ceph and click Upload file.
4. 4Click Calibrate – left-click to set calibration points, scroll wheel to zoom, right-hold to move the image.
5. 5Click Start.
6. 6Select an analysis (e.g. Eastman) and click Run Ceph analysis (takes about 30 seconds).
7. 7Click Download as PDF to save the analysis.

In Practice Growth you can view your average rating and breakdown. Click Reload reviews to refresh, and Review tracker for recent reviews. (We link your Google My Business account during setup.)

Send review emails

1. 1Create a procedure code (e.g. 'GR MAIL') with Active Procedure ticked and Google reviews ticked in the Reviews tab.
2. 2Tick Google review Email on a procedure code (e.g. Debond) to auto-send a review whenever it's used.
3. 3Setting Send Google Review = Yes on the patient sends a link by email after every appointment.
4. 4To send ad-hoc, add the 'GR MAIL' code while the patient is in chair.

Send review SMS

1. 1Create an SMS template (e.g. 'GR SMS'), add content and paste the yellow Google Reviews Link.
2. 2Link it to a procedure code: Practice Settings > Orthodontic Procedure Codes > Edit > Reviews, tick SMS and select the template, then Save.

Complaints are generated when a patient clicks Contact us Directly in the Google review link and fills out the form.

1. 1In Practice Growth, click the red Complaint Tickets button to view the tracker.
2. 2A blue speech bubble reminds you to contact patients who asked to be contacted.
3. 3Click the blue Action button to add notes about your response.
4. 4Click Save in Action – the complaint is removed from the tracker.

1. 1In Practice Growth, click + Add New to search for and add companies to the Peer Tracker List.
2. 2Click Remove to take anyone off the list.

If your region uses it, Dental Referrals lets you pull in and send referrals. You'll need an upload and download API key, entered in practice settings.

Pull new referrals in

1. 1Click the NHS icon, then Dental Referrals.
2. 2Enter the date range and search. Tick Exclude referrals already added to hide duplicates.
3. 3A red bar indicates an urgent referral.
4. 4Open a referral, click the hamburger menu and select Add to patient database.
5. 5Assign an orthodontist, add to a list if needed, and click Add Patient.

Refer out to hospital

1. 1From the patient notes, click the 3 dashes (top right) and select Dental Referrals.
2. 2Tick to include radiographs, select the form, and choose urgent or routine.
3. 3Click Prepare form then Open form to complete and send.

Assign the patient as NHS first

1. 1Go to the General tab and click Edit Details.
2. 2Under Payment Provider, choose NHS and select the NHS contract.
3. 3Optionally add the NHS number, then save.

Create a claim

1. 1Open the chart and click the NHS Claims tab, then Create new claim.
2. 2Complete all required boxes marked with an *. Question 25 must be completed or the NHSBSA returns the claim.
3. 3Save as Draft, Pending, or EDI Ready.

Transmit claims

1. 1From the Claim Tracker Dashboard, open the EDI Ready tab.
2. 2Tick the claims to send (or use Shift to select a range).
3. 3Click Transmit to NHS – claims move to the Sent tab.

NHS Rego

1. 1Enter your Rego API key in practice settings.
2. 2From the patient notes, click the 3 dashes and select NEC Vantage Rego.
3. 3Click Prepare Form, then Open Rego form to complete the referral.

FP17DCO form

1. 1In the chart, ensure the payment provider is NHS, then open the NHS Claims tab.
2. 2Select Prepare FP17DCO Form, complete the details and click Complete.
3. 3Email it via the Consents/Forms tab – the patient signs digitally (or on a tablet in practice).
4. 4Once signed it downloads as a PDF and is viewable in the NHS Claims tab.

MED 2 (Ireland / HSE)

1. 1In the Contracts tab, click Create MED 2.
2. 2Select the payment transaction(s) to pull in, then Create MED 2 again.
3. 3Complete the form, email it, and click Create MED 2 to finalise.

Once linked, DM data is viewable and actionable inside OrthoBridge – patient search, doctor notifications, compliance scales, scan timeline, communications and actions.

Set up the link

1. 1Request an API key from your DM account manager (they'll need the account email, doctor name and number).
2. 2Go to Practice Settings > Practice Setup, scroll to the Dental Monitoring box, tick Enable Dental Monitoring and select EU gateway, then save.
3. 3Go to Practice Staff > staff profile, click Configure DM, paste the API key, click Verify key and Save configuration.
4. 4Ensure the staff member has Dental Monitoring in their permissions.

Link patients

1. 1Click the DM tab, then DM Patient Search.
2. 2Click Link to OB next to the patient, search and Match patient.
3. 3Click Queue for Import – repeat for as many patients as needed.

TIO leads flow into a designated practice list where you can accept or reject them. Accepted patients are integrated automatically; rejected ones return to TIO.

Set up

1. 1Ask your TIO rep for an OrthoBridge-TIO key.
2. 2Give the key to the OrthoBridge support desk to activate the link – a TIO leads list is created for tracking.

Use TIO in OrthoBridge

1. 1Go to Reports > TIO to see the leads (these are prospects, not yet added).
2. 2Click Add to accept – the Add Patient box is pre-populated; click Add Patient.
3. 3Click Reject to remove a lead – it returns to TIO automatically.

GoCardless

1. 1Create a GoCardless account on gocardless.com.
2. 2Go to Practice Settings > Practice Set up and scroll to GoCardless.
3. 3Click Connect account and sign in – your account links automatically.
4. 4To disconnect, return here and click Disconnect account.

Stripe

1. 1Create a Stripe account, then go to Practice Settings > Practice Set up and find Stripe Configuration.
2. 2Paste the publishable key from Stripe into OrthoBridge.
3. 3Reveal and paste the secret (live) key.
4. 4In Stripe, add a webhook endpoint using the URL from OrthoBridge, select all events, and add the endpoint.
5. 5Back in OrthoBridge, click Save Stripe Settings.

Our support team installs and configures these device links. Enable each under Practice Settings > Practice Set-Up > Location > Edit details > Device Integrations, then acquire images via the hamburger menu on the patient chart.

• Orthoscan – tick Enable Orthoscan Twain interface, then open Open OrthoBridge Twain scanner, check the patient ID, select scan type, scan, then upload to the Digital Imaging tab.
• Carestream (CSI) – select Enable CS Imaging 8, then Open Carestream Imaging; save and refresh to pull the image in.
• Planmeca Romexis – select Enable Planmeca Romexis Imaging, then Open Planmeca/Romexis Imaging; save and refresh.
• 3Shape (Trios) – register and authorise the Trios device, configure the host name from Unite, then use Add/Open patient in 3Shape Trios (keep Unite open).
• E-Print – email documents to your printer; configure under Practice Set-Up > E-printer set-up with the printer's email address.

If the 3Shape integration is unused for 28 days, you'll need to log in again to reactivate the link.

Click the Reports icon to open the main screen. Navigate into a report or open Subscribed Reports. Some reports need you to click Run report to generate.

Working with a report

• Date search – type the dates or pick them from the calendar.
• Group – choose a column to organise rows (counts show in red).
• Filter box – type under a column heading to filter rows; works across multiple columns at once.
• Sorting arrow – click to sort ascending/descending (multiple columns supported).
• Open patient chart – a blue arrow/Open button opens the chart in a new tab.
• Select all – tick to select every row (ignores filters; with filters use Shift to highlight).

Financial

• Contracts Receivable – track receivables and send bulk statements.
• Income Detail / Transactions Analysis – end-of-day income and transactions (last 12 months).
• Retail Analysis / Sales Analysis – retail, contract and sundry sales with discounts and totals.
• New Contracts by Date / Contract Summary / Income Projection – contract reporting and a 12-month private income projection.

Patients & appointments

• Active Patient Analysis – status, last visit, next appointment, etc.
• Appointment Book Analysis / Activity – scheduled appointments and rebooking activity.
• No Future Appointments / Not seen in 10 weeks / Over-running / Long-Term – patients needing attention.
• Practice Waiting Times & Diary Utilisation.

Tracking & audit

• SMS Text Messaging / Email Tracking reports.
• Patient Forms Inbox & Medical History Forms Inbox.
• Patient / Practice Audit Log and Practice Access Log (superusers only).
• Stripe & GoCardless payment reports, plus X-Ray Quality and Ungraded X-rays.

Set up how your diary and appointments behave before you start booking.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings.
2. 2Click Appointment Settings to set your defaults — booking rules, intervals and on-screen options.
3. 3Adjust the settings to suit your practice, then save.

1. 1Go to a free signature builder such as signaturegenerator.com.
2. 2Build your signature and download it as a JPEG image.
3. 3In Orthobridge, go to Practice Settings and find the email signature section.
4. 4Upload the JPEG. It will now appear on practice emails.

Colour-coding your appointment types makes the diary far easier to read at a glance.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings and open the appointment colour palette.
2. 2Assign a colour to each appointment type.
3. 3Save. The diary will now show each appointment type in its colour.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings > Look-up codes.
2. 2Select Patient payment sources.
3. 3Choose a payment source (e.g. NHS, Private) and set its tab colour.
4. 4Save. The colour shows on the patient chart so staff can identify the payer quickly.

Appointment types control how long each booking takes, who supervises it, and which consent forms are attached.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings and open Appointment Types.
2. 2Click Add New and give the type a look-up code and name.
3. 3Set the default duration.
4. 4Set the supervision requirement if a clinician must oversee it.
5. 5Attach any consent forms that should be requested for this type.
6. 6If you offer the type through the website widget, set a cost — the minimum is £10.
7. 7Save.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings and find the website appointment enquiry widget option.
2. 2Enable the widget.
3. 3Make sure each appointment type you want to offer online has a cost set (minimum £10).
4. 4Add the supplied web link or embed code to your practice website.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings and open Calendar settings.
2. 2Set your calendar preferences — how invites appear and what details they include.
3. 3Enable the calendar invite email so patients receive an invite they can add to their own calendar.
4. 4Save.

Chairs are specific to each location. Each chair shows as a column in the appointment book.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings.
2. 2Open the chairs / surgeries area for the location you want to set up.
3. 3Add each chair and give it a clear name.
4. 4Save. The appointment book will show one column per chair.

A workday profile sets out what each chair is available for across the day.

Slot types

• Open – any appointment type can be booked.
• Colour-coded – reserved for a chosen group, shown in colour.
• Appointment Types – limited to specific types only.
• Closed – no bookings allowed in that slot.

Create a profile

1. 1Go to Practice Settings and open Workday Profiles.
2. 2Click Add New and name the profile.
3. 3Build the day by setting each slot to Open, Colour-coded, Appointment Types or Closed.
4. 4Save the profile so it can be applied when scheduling.

Scheduling applies your workday profiles to the diary so chairs are open for booking.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings and open Scheduling.
2. 2Use Practice scheduling to set opening patterns across the practice.
3. 3Use Staff scheduling to apply working patterns to each clinician.
4. 4Apply the workday profiles you built. You can schedule up to 2 years ahead.

Online booking lets patients book and pay a deposit themselves.

Before you start

• Stripe must be connected to take deposits.
• You need the web link or embed code for your site.

Turn it on

1. 1Connect Stripe in Practice Settings.
2. 2Enable online booking on each appointment type you want bookable.
3. 3Either colour-code the slots you want to release online, or pre-block the slots you do not.
4. 4Set the minimum deposit — at least £10.
5. 5Add the web link to your website.

Add additional hours

1. 1Go to Scheduling and select the day.
2. 2Add the extra hours to the chair and save.

Remove a day

1. 1In Scheduling, find the day you want to close.
2. 2Remove it so no appointments can be booked.

Book holidays / time off

1. 1Open Staff scheduling and select the staff member.
2. 2Add their holiday or time off across the relevant dates.
3. 3Save. Their diary will close for those dates.

Access control

1. 1Go to Practice Settings and open Access Control.
2. 2Set who can log in and from where.

Network access control

1. 1Open Network access control.
2. 2Restrict logins to approved networks (e.g. the practice IP address) so the system can only be reached from trusted locations.

Two-factor authentication

1. 1Open Two-factor authentication.
2. 2Enable it for added security. Staff will confirm a second step at login.

Clinical chart summary

1. 1Go to Practice Settings and open the clinical chart summary configuration.
2. 2Choose which clinical details appear in the summary view.
3. 3Save.

Patient chart options

1. 1Open Patient chart options.
2. 2Set which tabs and fields show on the patient chart.
3. 3Save so every chart opens with the layout your team needs.

Kiosk mode lets patients check themselves in on a tablet or touchscreen when they arrive.

Set up a kiosk user

1. 1Create a new staff user just for the kiosk.
2. 2Give that user the Kiosk permission only — no other access.

Start kiosk mode

1. 1On the kiosk device, go to https://uk.orthobridge.eu/sign-in-launcher.
2. 2Log in with the kiosk user.
3. 3Patients can now check themselves in.

End kiosk mode

1. 1Go to https://uk.orthobridge.eu/kiosk-stop to end the session.

Procedure codes sit behind almost everything clinical and financial. Getting them right keeps your reporting and audit accurate.

What a procedure code links to

• Status changes – a code can automatically move a patient to a new status.
• Appointment types – codes pull through when an appointment type is booked.
• Letters & emails – a code can queue a linked letter or email.
• Charges – codes with a cost link to retail and the ledger.
• Reports & audit – codes drive procedure analysis and the audit trail.

Categories group related codes so they are easier to find and report on.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings.
2. 2Open Orthodontic procedure codes.
3. 3Select Procedure categories.
4. 4Click Add New, name the category, and save.

Each code can carry a charge, trigger letters, update status and link to inventory. Fill in only the fields you need.

1. 1Go to Practice Settings > Orthodontic procedure codes and click Add New.
2. 2Enter a short look-up code and a clear description.
3. 3Set a charge amount if the patient pays for it.
4. 4Choose the category it belongs to.
5. 5Tick Active so the code can be used.
6. 6Link an inventory kit if the procedure uses set consumables.
7. 7Set the mechanics if it records an aligner or appliance step.
8. 8Tick auto-update status to move the patient to a new status when the code is used.
9. 9Tick auto-add to practice list if it should appear on a recall or working list.
10. 10Add any linked procedures that should be recorded alongside it.
11. 11Set it to queue letters, add Tx notes, or send emails if needed.
12. 12Tick reviews / Google to trigger a review request after the procedure.
13. 13Add the PDS code for NHS reporting if it applies.
14. 14Click Save.