06/10/2026
🦷 Dental records taking up valuable storage space?
Boxes of archived patient files can fill cupboards, spare rooms and paid storage units for years. But how long should you keep them?
For dental practices in England, current retention guidance recommends:
📁 Adult clinical records: at least 11 years after the last treatment or entry.
👧 Children’s records: retain until their 25th birthday, or 26th birthday if they were 17 when treatment ended, and for at least 11 years after the last entry, whichever is longer.
Reaching the minimum period means it’s time to review the records. Complaints, legal claims or other ongoing requirements may mean keeping them longer.
Keep the records. Reclaim the space.
Docs2Digital can scan your paper dental archives into organised digital files, indexed by patient name or reference for easier retrieval.
✅ Reduce bulky paper storage
✅ Find archived records faster
✅ Keep information accessible throughout its retention period
✅ Arrange secure shredding, with a certificate of destruction, once checked scans are approved and disposal of the originals is authorised
Scanning doesn’t shorten the retention period — digital records still need to be kept securely for the required time.
📩 Contact Docs2Digital for a free quote and give your dental practice more room to smile!