Dental Assistant Practice Exam

In the Current Status Form, which option is filled in ink pen only?

1. Patient name and date

2. Dental history

3. Insurance information

4. Prescriptions

The correct answer is: Patient name and date

The correct option is that the patient's name and date are the sections filled in ink pen only on the Current Status Form. This practice ensures clarity and permanence in these critical areas of patient documentation. The patient's name is essential for identifying the individual receiving care, while the date indicates when the information was recorded. Using ink pen for these entries helps prevent alterations or erasures, which is crucial for maintaining the accuracy and integrity of medical records. The other sections, such as dental history, insurance information, and prescriptions, may involve information that can be more subject to updates or changes. For instance, dental history might be subject to revisions based on new treatments or findings, making it more appropriate for pencil or other means of documentation that allow adjustments. Insurance information can frequently change as well, necessitating an easier method to update. Prescriptions often require careful consideration and verification and may involve multiple revisions before final submissions. Therefore, the patient name and date being in ink ensures they remain static and unequivocally tied to the patient's healthcare record.