How to Archive, Delete & Organize Images in Dexis (X-Rays & Intraoral Photos)

If you’ve ever looked at a patient’s image screen in Dexis and felt overwhelmed by years of X-rays and intraoral photos, you’re not alone. As patients return year after year, their image history can quickly become cluttered, making it harder to find what you need.

Fortunately, Dexis includes several built-in tools that make managing patient images simple. In this guide, I’ll show you how to archive images, permanently delete images when appropriate, and quickly organize your view so you can find the X-rays you’re looking for.

How to Archive Images in Dexis

Archiving is a great option when you want to remove an image from your main viewing screen without permanently deleting it.

To archive an image:

  1. Select the X-ray or intraoral photo.
  2. Click the X at the top of the image.
  3. The image disappears from your current view but is safely stored in the archive folder.

You’ll notice a small yellow line beneath the folder icon, indicating that archived images are available. If you ever need those images again, simply open the folder, select the images you want to restore, and click Done. They’ll immediately reappear in your workspace.

This is especially useful for reducing clutter while still keeping older images accessible.

How to Permanently Delete Images

Deleting an image is different from archiving. Once an image is deleted, it cannot be restored.

To delete an image:

  1. Click and hold the image from the top until the drag icon appears.
  2. Drag the image onto the folder icon.
  3. When prompted, choose Delete instead of Archive.
  4. Enter your initials to confirm the deletion.

Dexis records who deleted the image by requiring user initials before the deletion is completed.

Because deleted images cannot be recovered, make sure you’re deleting the correct image before confirming.

How to Organize and Filter Patient Images

One of the easiest ways to make a busy image screen more manageable is by filtering which images are displayed.

Open the image folder to view every image associated with the patient. From there, you can:

  • Display images from a specific appointment date.
  • Show only images taken since a selected date.
  • Return to viewing every image at any time by selecting Show All.

These filtering options are incredibly helpful when reviewing a patient’s recent treatment or comparing images from a particular visit without having years of older images filling the screen.

Why This Matters

Keeping your Dexis image screen organized saves time during patient appointments and makes it much easier to locate the images you need.

Instead of scrolling through dozens of X-rays and intraoral photos, you can quickly filter your view, temporarily archive unnecessary images, or permanently remove duplicates when appropriate.

A clean, organized image database helps improve efficiency for hygienists, assistants, and doctors alike.

Watch the Full Tutorial

Want to see each step demonstrated inside Dexis?

Watch the full video tutorial where I walk through archiving, deleting, and organizing dental X-rays and intraoral photos step-by-step.

If you’re looking for more practical dental software training, be sure to explore my other tutorials covering both Dentrix and Dexis, with new videos published every week on YouTube.