Each of the following must be recorded in the patient's chart when protective stabilization is used, EXCEPT one. Which is the EXCEPTION?

Correct answer: A. The number of teeth being treated during the appointment

• A. CORRECT — this is the EXCEPTION. How many teeth were treated is ordinary operative record-keeping. It has no bearing on whether restraining a patient was justified, proportionate or safe, so it is not part of the stabilization documentation set.
• B. A plan for future appointments is required. Stabilization is a temporary measure, and the record must show what will be done differently next time — sedation, general anaesthesia, or a desensitization approach.
• C. The specific type must be recorded: parental holding, a papoose board, a mouth prop, or another device. Different methods carry different risks, so the record has to say which was used.
• D. The indication is the first thing required. The record must state why stabilization was necessary — an immediate safety need, an inability to cooperate, or a medical condition — because restraint used for the clinician's convenience is never acceptable.

Note: The AAPD documentation set: indication · informed consent obtained · type of stabilization · reason for use · duration of application · behaviour evaluation during use · any untoward outcome (skin marking, tissue injury) · plan for subsequent visits. Informed consent must be obtained and documented BEFORE the device is applied — never retroactively.