Changing Dentists in Japan: Records, X-rays & Continuing Treatment

Moving to a new city, finding a clinic with the language support you need, or changing your commuting route can mean changing dentists. If treatment has already started, the useful question is not just “Where can I book?” It is “What does the next dentist need to know?”

Use this guide to prepare a handover. It is a practical communication checklist, not a recommendation to stop, delay or change treatment.

1. Check the new clinic before arranging the transfer

Tell the clinic that you are already receiving dental care and want to discuss continuing it there. Mention the type of treatment, when your last appointment was, and whether you have a next appointment scheduled.

Ask:

• Are you accepting patients who started this treatment elsewhere?
• Should I book an assessment, a treatment appointment or a second-opinion consultation?
• Do you need a referral letter before booking?
• What records should I request, and in which format?
• What language support is available for the dentist’s explanation and consent discussion?

Do not assume a first appointment means treatment will continue that day. As one hospital-specific example, Science Tokyo Hospital’s dental service explains that specialist care may not start immediately after initial registration. Other clinics have their own arrangements. Science Tokyo Hospital: first dental visit

2. Ask which documents would help

A short referral letter and copies of existing records serve different purposes. Ask the receiving dentist what is needed rather than requesting every possible document without checking.

Useful items to discuss with the two clinics include:

• A referral letter or treatment summary: the reason for referral, work completed and remaining issues.
• Relevant X-rays or other images, including the date they were taken.
• The current treatment plan and the dates of recent procedures.
• Information about any ongoing appliance or restoration, if relevant.
• Your medication list, allergies and other information the new clinic asks you to provide.
• Copies of estimates, receipts and agreements you may need for your own reference.

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) guidance includes X-rays and referral letters within its definition of clinical records. It says patient requests for access should generally be met, with exceptions, and provides for identity checks and institution-specific procedures. Asking for access does not guarantee immediate release of every item. Access to existing records also does not itself guarantee preparation of a new referral letter or English summary. MHLW: clinical information guidance

Useful Japanese terms:

• 紹介状 (shōkaijō): referral letter.
• 診療情報提供書 (shinryō jōhō teikyōsho): clinical information/referral document.
• 診療記録の写し (shinryō kiroku no utsushi): copies of clinical records.
• エックス線画像 (ekkusu-sen gazō): X-ray images.

3. Confirm timing, format, language and fees

Before placing the request, ask the current clinic:

• Which application form and identity documents do I need?
• When should I expect a response, and when could the documents be ready?
• Can I collect them, or can they be sent directly to the named clinic?
• Can you provide the records in the format the receiving clinic accepts?
• Is an English summary available? If not, what should I arrange with the receiving clinic?
• What charges apply to copies, image media, a referral letter or translation?

Do not assume that requesting records is free. MHLW’s fee clarification says disclosure fees should be reasonable in relation to actual costs, which can include staff work responding to the request. This is not a single nationwide price quote. Confirm the scope and expected amount with the provider. Ask separately about charges for preparing a new referral letter or translation. MHLW: disclosure-fee clarification

For images, check with both ends before choosing a transfer method. Science Tokyo Hospital, for example, requests DICOM images on CD-R or DVD-R and does not accept USB for that referral workflow. Do not generalize that requirement to every clinic. Science Tokyo Hospital: referral instructions

4. Agree how your information will be shared

For a clinic-to-clinic handover, confirm the recipient, which records will be shared and how your consent will be recorded. MHLW guidance addresses sharing clinical information between healthcare professionals with the patient’s consent. MHLW: clinical information guidance, section 10

If a friend, interpreter or booking service is helping, ask the clinic what authorization it needs before that person requests or receives records. Receiving appointment help is not the same as authorizing access to your dental history.

Use the clinic’s agreed transfer channel. Keep your own copies securely, check the recipient before sending, and avoid putting records in a public link or social-media post. If you are asked to use an unfamiliar channel, clarify who will receive the files and how they will be used.

5. Make a plan for unfinished treatment

Before cancelling an existing appointment, ask your current dentist how the handover should be timed and who to contact while you are between clinics.

At the new clinic, ask:

• What can you assess from the existing records?
• Is any further examination or imaging needed, and why?
• Can you continue the current plan, or do we need to discuss a different one?
• What needs attention before my next scheduled visit?
• What are the proposed costs, payment stages and follow-up arrangements?

For ongoing orthodontics, root canal treatment, implants or a crown or bridge being made, name the treatment clearly when booking. These questions do not imply that every clinic can take over every case.

Review your existing payment agreement separately from the new clinic’s proposal. Ask each provider about its own outstanding charges, unused services or cancellation terms. Do not assume that advance payments or warranties transfer with your records.

If you develop new or worsening symptoms while arranging the handover, contact a dental professional rather than waiting for paperwork to arrive.

English and Japanese request templates

To your current clinic

Hello. I would like to arrange continuing treatment at another dental clinic. Could you tell me the process for obtaining a referral letter and copies of relevant records and X-ray images? Please let me know the required identification, available formats, expected timing and fees before preparing them. I will confirm the receiving clinic and any consent needed for direct transfer.

別の歯科医院で治療を続けるため、紹介状と必要な診療記録・エックス線画像の写しの依頼方法を教えていただけますか。作成前に、本人確認に必要なもの、提供できる形式、準備にかかる期間、費用を教えてください。直接送付する場合は、送付先の医院と必要な同意手続きを確認します。

To the new clinic

Hello. I am currently receiving [type of treatment] at another clinic and would like to ask about continuing care with you. Are you accepting transfer patients for this treatment? Please let me know what appointment to book and which referral documents or image formats you need. I would also like to confirm language support and the assessment fee.

現在、別の医院で［治療内容］の治療を受けています。そちらで治療を続けられるか相談したいのですが、この治療の転院患者を受け入れていますか。予約する診療内容、必要な紹介状・資料、画像の形式、言語対応、初診の相談・検査にかかる費用を教えてください。

Your handover checklist

Before the first visit, check that you have:

• Confirmed the new clinic’s acceptance process and appointment purpose.
• Requested the documents that clinic needs.
• Agreed on the recipient, transfer method and consent procedure.
• Checked document timing, format and charges.
• Discussed the timing of unfinished treatment with your current dentist.
• Written down your questions about the next plan and costs.

This article provides general information, not individual medical or legal advice. Records procedures and appointment arrangements depend on the provider and circumstances. Treatment decisions should be discussed with the responsible dentist.

Source pages checked on November 6, 2026.