What should dentists do with prescription records after three years?

Under California law, dental professionals are required to maintain patient records, including prescription records, for a minimum of seven years from the date of the patient's last visit. Therefore, after three years, dentists are not obligated to destroy these records.

The correct action for dentists after three years is actually to either continue retaining them until the seven-year requirement is met, or they may choose to archive them in a safe place for potential future use, which reflects best practices for record-keeping in the dental profession. Therefore, the answer regarding destruction of these records is not in compliance with the required retention timeframe established by regulations governing dental practices in California.

The approach of transferring them to a digital format could be beneficial as it promotes easier access and storage, but it does not negate the need to adhere to the seven-year retention policy. Keeping records for an additional year past the three-year mark would also be inadequate based on state regulations.

In summary, proper adherence to California dental law necessitates that dentists maintain prescription records for at least seven years, thereby ruling out the option of immediate destruction of these records after three years.