why on earth is there seperate codes for 1,2 and 3 surface fills - also I can't link codes?

Hey ​@niha 👋

I’ll try to explain what’s happening and how this works in Dentally.

Dentally and EXACT handle fillings a bit differently. In Dentally, 1‑, 2‑, and 3‑surface fillings are typically set up as separate treatment items, which means the correct item usually needs to be selected up front. In EXACT, you chart the surfaces first and the system automatically adjusts the code for you.

I completely get why this feels slower if you’re coming from EXACT, and why it feels like extra admin. In Dentally, once you’ve selected the appropriate filling type, you can chart multiple surfaces as a single filling by linking them together, so it still appears as one restoration with one charge.

To link surfaces:

• Select your filling type from the treatment list
• Click the first surface on the tooth
• Hold Alt (Windows PC) or Option (Mac), or right‑click
• Click the additional surfaces
• Release the key

This will create one treatment line and one charge. If surfaces are clicked individually without linking, Dentally will treat them as separate fillings.

Some practices, particularly private ones, may choose to use a single filling item with Multiple pricing enabled to handle different fees. That can work for pricing, but it doesn’t automatically change the treatment code based on the number of surfaces, and it won’t fully replicate EXACT’s automatic surface‑based behaviour.

Hopefully that helps explain the difference, but let me know if anything’s unclear 😊

I understand how to link surfaces but having to change the treatment type any time a fill has multiple surfaces opens a lot of area for charting error with nurses and increases admin time significantly. Can this not be corrected on the back end?

Hi ​@niha,

At the moment, this can’t be corrected automatically on the back end. Dentally’s charting logic requires the treatment item to be selected up front, and it doesn’t recalculate or change the treatment type later based on the number of surfaces that are linked. That means if a filling becomes multi‑surface, the treatment item does still need to be changed manually.

Some practices choose to simplify their setup using Multiple pricing on a single filling item for private fees, but it’s important to note that this only affects pricing. It doesn’t make Dentally automatically interpret surface count or adjust treatment logic, and it won’t fully remove the risk you’re describing.

So while there are setup options that can help reduce repetition, the underlying behaviour can’t currently be automated in the way you’re suggesting. This would require a change to how charting logic works rather than a configuration change.

I’ll make sure this feedback is captured clearly, especially around: reducing charting error for nurses, removing the need to manually change treatment types and aligning more closely with surface‑driven workflows like EXACT

Thanks for explaining the practical impact so clearly. This kind of detail really helps us represent the issue properly internally.