Before you send out online forms to patients, it’s important to properly configure your settings in the Online Forms > Settings page. These configurations control how patient forms are delivered, saved, and managed, ensuring a smooth experience for your team and your patients.
Why These Settings Matter
Well-configured form settings allow your practice to:
Automatically route patient forms to the right folders or document categories in your PMS (Dentrix, Eaglesoft, or Open Dental).
Ensure proper handling of consent and guardian information for minors.
Trigger timely automated form reminders to new and existing patients.
Customize treatment plan delivery with provider notes and confirmation text.
Maintain compliance and reduce manual errors by centralizing control.
In short, these settings help you save time, reduce risk, and ensure patients come prepared for their appointments.
You can find all of these under Forms > Settings in your Practice by Numbers account.
Online Form Settings
Use this to set the default folder or document category in your PMS where completed patient forms should be saved.
You can customize this globally or override it on a per-form basis in the Forms tab.
Example default: Patient Identification
Consent Form Settings
Configure how consent forms behave system-wide.
Select the PMS category (e.g., Informed Consent) for storing consent forms.
Checkbox options include:
Show Guardian Info: Displays guardian fields if needed.
Is Guardian Info Required: Makes guardian info mandatory if checked.
Treatment Plan Settings
Customize how treatment plans are displayed and stored.
Select the PMS folder where completed treatment plan forms should be saved.
Customize the Treatment Plan Overview, which is shown to patients when the treatment plan is presented. Use merge fields like
{first_name}to personalize content.Enable the checkbox if you would like to:
Use doctor’s treatment notes directly in the treatment plan text.
Use the Treatment Plan Acceptance Text field to add a default statement of understanding and agreement the patient will agree to.
Additional checkboxes:
Automatically recommend Consent forms when Treatment Plan is presented.
Show Guardian Info
Is Guardian Info Required
Scanned Document Settings
Choose the default document folder/category where manually uploaded or scanned forms should be stored (e.g., Patient Identification).
Form Reset Options
Use these reset tools if you need to revert to system defaults. Helpful for troubleshooting or rolling back customizations.
Reset Option | What It Does |
Reset general forms | Resets all synced general forms to admin default |
Reset consent forms | Resets synced consent forms |
Reset admin package forms | Resets forms synced through admin packages |
Reset templates | Reverts email and SMS templates to original defaults |
Package Description (Optional)
Use the built-in rich text editor to add a custom message that displays alongside form packages for patients.
Example: “The listed forms are required before your appointment. Some forms can only be completed within 12 hours of your appointment time.”
This section supports formatting and multiple languages.
Patient Form Automations
Automate form delivery for new patients and existing patients with upcoming appointments using this unified automation section.
Enable Automations
Use toggles to activate automations for:
New Patient Forms
Upcoming Appointment Forms (up to two reminders)
Channels
Both automations support:
Email
SMS
You can:
Preview message content
Edit templates
Test delivery
Reminder Timing (for Existing Patients)
Customize up to two reminders (e.g., 3 days and 1 day before the appointment)
Send reminders to ensure patients complete required forms in time.
Filters
Apply filters to control which patients receive forms:
Exclude by Service – don’t send forms if certain services are scheduled.
Chair Filters – target patients scheduled on specific chairs.
Tag Filters – exclude/include based on patient tags.
Consent Forms
Optionally enable “Include Consent Form” to bundle consent automatically with both types of reminders.
Don’t Forget to Save
Each section must be saved individually using the Save button. Changes won’t apply unless explicitly saved.
Tips for Best Results
Customize templates for clarity: Patients are more likely to complete forms if instructions are concise and friendly.
Sync with admin policies: Ensure your form categories align with how your admin team stores documents in the PMS.
Be cautious with reset tools: Only reset if necessary—this will erase all template or form customizations.
Audit filters regularly: If new chairs or services are added in your practice, update filters to match.