What Are Procedure Buttons in Dentrix?

Procedure buttons are the icons you see inside the patient chart that allow you to quickly:

• Add procedures to a treatment plan
• Chart existing restorations
• Document conditions

Dentrix comes with default buttons, but they’re rarely set up in a way that actually fits how your office works.

Customizing them is key.

Why You Should Customize Your Procedure Buttons

When your buttons are set up correctly, you can:

• Save time during exams and charting
• Quickly add common procedures
• Improve consistency across your team
• Reduce clicking and searching through codes

For example, even if your office doesn’t place amalgams, you might still want an amalgam button so you can quickly chart existing restorations.

How to Open Procedure Button Setup in Dentrix

To get started:

1. Open a patient chart
2. Go to the top toolbar
3. Click Setup
4. Select Procedure Button Setup

This is where you can edit, delete, and create new buttons.

How to Create a New Procedure Button

To add a new button:

1. Click New
2. Select a procedure code
   
   • Type it in if you know it
   • Or use the dropdown to find it
3. Choose an icon for the button
4. Customize the description (what shows when you hover)
5. Click OK

That’s it—you’ve created a new procedure button.

Customizing Your Procedure Button Icons

Dentrix includes built-in icons, but you also have options:

• Use default Dentrix images
• Create your own simple icon
• Upload or paste custom images (like emojis)

A lot of people ask about using emojis—I personally just email them to myself and paste them into Dentrix.

Totally optional, but it can make your setup more visual and intuitive.

Using Text Instead of Icons

If you don’t want icons, you can switch to text-based buttons instead.

This will display the procedure name or custom text instead of an image.

Personally, I prefer icons because they’re faster to recognize—but it’s completely up to you.

Organizing Your Procedure Buttons

You can reorder your buttons by:

• Clicking on a button in the setup window
• Moving it up or down

I recommend organizing them based on how you actually work:

• Most-used procedures first
• Group similar procedures together
• Keep everything easy to find quickly during an exam

Using Multi-Codes for Faster Treatment Planning

If you’re not using multi-codes in Dentrix, you’re missing out.

Multi-codes allow you to bundle multiple procedures into one button.

For example:

• Crown
• Build-up
• Seat crown

All added with one click.

You can create a procedure button tied to a multi-code so you don’t have to add each procedure individually.

This is a huge time-saver for treatment planning.

Saving Your Procedure Button Set

Once everything is set up:

1. Click Save Button Set
2. Name your set

This allows you to reuse or switch between different setups.

Important: Procedure Buttons Are Computer-Specific

This is something a lot of people don’t realize:

Procedure button setups are specific to each computer

That means:

• You’ll need to set them up on every operatory if you want consistency
• Or customize them per room/provider if preferred

In my office, I prefer having the same setup everywhere so everything is consistent and easy for everyone.

Switching Between Button Sets in Dentrix

To switch button sets:

1. Go to Setup
2. Click Procedure Button Setup
3. Change the default button set

This is helpful if you have multiple setups saved.

Using Procedure Buttons for More Than Just Treatment Planning

Procedure buttons aren’t just for adding procedures.

You can also use them for:

• Charting existing restorations
• Marking conditions (like “watch tooth” or “impacted”)
• Speeding up exams and documentation

Basically, anything you find yourself clicking frequently—you should have a button for it.

Final Thoughts

Setting up your Dentrix procedure buttons is one of the easiest ways to improve your efficiency.

Once you have everything customized:

• You’ll move faster during exams
• Your charting will be more consistent
• Your workflow will feel smoother overall

It takes a little time upfront, but it’s 100% worth it.

If you’re looking for more Dentrix tutorials and dental tech tips, check out my other content here:
https://linktr.ee/dentaltechwithjaime