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Most Commonly Used Fields in Cloud 9 MyTooth Form Builder and how to Modify them using Settings

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Karen Lewis
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Summary
Fields in the MyTooth Form Builder area are components that allow you to capture some sort of input or information from the patient or responsible party. In this article, we will cover the most commonly used Fields in the MyTooth form builder and different ways you could edit that field using the appropriate corresponding tab in the settings panel.

You should be slightly familiar with form creation from the MyTooth Cloud 9 Form Creation article. To go back to the main MyTooth Form Creation article, click here. 


Common Field Types
1. Text Field - The most common field type used in a form is a text field. This is used to collect a short, free form, single line of text. Typical uses for Cloud 9 forms include:
Patient's first name, last name, preferred/nickname

  • Employer name, occupation
  • Emergency contact name and relationship
  • Referring dentist or referring physician name
  • Insurance subscriber name, group name, member ID, policy number
  • Pharmacy name
  • "Reason for today's visit" (one-line version)
  • "How did you hear about us?"
  • Previous dentist's name
  • Spouse / responsible party name

If the answer is longer than a sentence, you should use a Text Area instead. If it's a phone, email, date, or number, those have their own dedicated components with built-in validation. 

Fine tuning a Text Field
For making modifications to a text field using the 'Display' tab setting, see the below examples:
 

  • Placeholder: You can use the Placeholder text to show an example in the Text field before the patient or responsible party types in it. For Employer Name you could put 'AT&T Wireless.' 
  • Description: If your Text field is 'Pharmacy Name' in the Description you could put 'Include City or cross streets for popular chains'.
  • Tooltip: For a box that says 'Subscriber ID' type in the tooltip field use something like, ''This is the ID number printed on the front of your insurance card, usually under the subscriber's name'. This will put a tooltip to the side of the text box field the patient or responsible party can hover over to see the text you type into the 'Tooltip' option.
  • Input Mask: If the text field is for a Social Security Number, add an input mask on the 'Display' tab. This ensures social security numbers are all the same format of 999-99-9999.
  • Prefix: On a Monthly Income field, set the prefix to $ which will appear before the field.
  • Suffix: On a Height or Weight field you could put pounds or inches, this way it would appear after the field.
  • Hidden: On Spouse's Employer check the box for 'Hidden' on the display tab. Then, navigate to the conditional tab and set 'This Component should display' to 'True'. The next field is 'When the form component', select the Marital Status field for this. The last field is 'has the value' in this case, you would put Married. This adds a Conditional rule so the Spouse's Employer only appears as a text field if the responsible party selects the Married tab under marital status. For more about Conditional Rules, see this article.

For making modifications to a text field using the 'Data' tab setting, see the below examples:

  • Default Value: On Preferred Contact Method, you could set the default to Text Message. Having a Default answer selected will override placeholder text. 
  • Multiple Values: If you want to provide multiple choices, click multiple values and use the blue plus to add more values the patient or responsible party can choose from. This would be good for a field for Medications, or Allergies, or Known Surgeries so they can add multiple answers.
  • Protected: This can be turned on for a Driver's License Number field, that way it's never sent back to the browser after submission.
  • Encrypted: Turn this on for Social Security Number, Driver's License, or Insurance Member ID. It encrypts personal information entered in the field when the form gets sent back for submission.

For making changes to a text field using the 'Validation' tab setting, see the below examples:

  • Required: Select this anytime you want an answer to be required, like First name, Last Name, Emergency Contact or reason for today's visit.
  • Minimum Length: Set this for the minimum length of characters for a field, so patients cannot submit a field that is incomplete.
  • Maximum Length: Set this for maximum character length, e.g., Subscriber ID max 20.
  • Minimum Word Count: On 'Describe your Dental Concern' you could put a minimum of 10 words so they have to give an answer.
  • Maximum Word Count: If you have a nickname field, you could set the maximum word count to 2.
  • Custom Error Message: If you set a minimum word count of 5 in the 'Reason for Visit' field you could set the custom error message to 'Please give us at least a few words so we can prepare for your visit.'

 

2. Text Area - Another common field used in form building is the Text Area field. A Text Area is a multi-line text box, the same kind of field as Text Field, but large enough for the patient or responsible party to type sentences or paragraphs. Use it anytime the answer might be longer than a few words.

Typical uses on a Cloud 9 Form could be:

  • Reason for today's visit / chief complaint: "My upper-left molar has been throbbing for three days, especially when I drink something cold."
  • Describe your dental concern in your own words.
  • Medical history: please list any conditions we should know about.
  • Known allergies and the reaction you had.
  • Dental anxiety: anything we should know to make you comfortable?
  • Insurance notes: "My employer just switched carriers; the new card hasn't arrived yet."
  • Special accommodations needed: wheelchair access, interpreter, sensory sensitivities.

Important: For the Text Area, the 'Rows' on the 'Display' settings tab is crucial. This controls how many rows are visible in the text area before the patient or responsible party needs to start scrolling. It defaults to 3, but you can change it to suit your need.

For example modifications to a Text Area using the 'Display' tab, see the below examples:
 

  • Placeholder: Inside Reason for Visit text area you could put, 'Tell us what's bothering you, e.g., 'tooth pain on the upper left when I bite down.'
  • Description: Under Medical History an example could be, 'Include any conditions, even ones you think may not be relevant.'
  • Tooltip: For Current Medications a tooltip example could be, 'Include dosage and how often you take it, if you know.'
  • Rows: Text Area's signature setting. Controls how tall the box is before scrolling kicks in. Examples:
    • Preferred Name could be set to 2 rows.
    • Reason for Visit could be set to 4 rows.
    • Medical History could be set to 6 rows.
    • Detailed feedback on a post-visit survey could be set to 8 rows.
  • Auto Expand: Turn on so the box grows as the patient types. Recommended for Medical History, Medications, and Additional Comments where the length is unpredictable.
  • Word Wrap: Leave on. Off is only for unusual cases where the you want horizontal scrolling instead.
  • Hidden: Hide Reason for Cancellation until the patient picks 'Cancel' on a reschedule/cancel form.


For changes to the Text Area field using the 'Data' tab settings, see the below examples:

  • Multiple Values: Turn on for 'List your previous surgeries', so the patient can add one entry per surgery, each in its own multi-line box.
  • Protected: Turn on if the Text Area collects something sensitive that shouldn't be echoed back to the browser after save (uncommon for Text Areas).
  • Encrypted: Turn on if the Text Area is collecting something genuinely sensitive. An example could be a Mental Health History note on a sedation-consent form.


3. Another common field for Forms can be found under the Advanced tab on the left hand side and is Email. The Email text field is already pre-set to make sure only a valid email address is provided, shows a default error message if the format is wrong, and on mobile brings up the email-optimized keyboard, (with the @ key visible). It also trims accidental leading or trailing spaces on the email address. You could still personalize the field if you want, but it is not necessary.
 

4. Also under the 'Advanced' menu on the left hand side of the form builder is the field for Phone Number. Like the previous field, Phone Number already comes with some settings selected. It applies a US phone number input mask automatically of (999) 999-9999. The patient or responsible party sees the parentheses and dash appear as they type. It also restricts the input to digits, validates that the result is the right length for a US number and on mobile, brings up the numeric keypad. You shouldn't need to configure this field either, generally speaking.
 

5. The next three fields are all related. We have Date, Time, and Date/Time. These should be used whenever the answer is a specific date or time. If you just use Date, it pulls up a calendar picker where someone can select the proper date. If you select Date/Time this will combine the fields and require the person filling out the form to pick a specific date on the calendar picker and enter the time. The Time field is used when you are just asking for a time for an answer on the form. For this feature the patients never have to type the date manually, it is a calendar picker and the value must be a real date. 

To finetune the Date/Time, Date or Time in the 'Display' tab settings, see these examples:
 

  • Display in Time zone: This allows you to choose what time zone the field should display in. You can choose 'of Viewer', 'of Submission', 'of Location' or 'of UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).'
  • Placeholder: MM/DD/YYYY is a nice hint when the field is empty.
  • Description: Under Date of Last Cleaning you could put, 'Approximate is fine if you don't remember the exact date.'
  • Tooltip: On Insurance Effective Date you could enter, 'The date your current insurance plan started — usually printed on your card.'
  • Format: Controls how the value is displayed. Common choices: MM/DD/YYYY for US-style date only, MM/DD/YYYY h:mm a for date plus 12-hour time with AM/PM, h:mm a for time only.


For changes to the Date/Time, Date, or Time field using the 'Data' tab settings, see the below examples:

  • Default Value: On Today's Date on a consent form, default to today. On Preferred Appointment Date, leave blank.
  • Default Date: A more specific version of the above for date pickers - e.g. 'default to 7 days from today' on a Preferred follow-up date field.
  • Multiple Values: Turn on for List the dates of any previous dental surgeries so the patient can add one date per row.


For modifications Date/Time, Date, or Time field using the 'Validation' Tab see below.

  • Required: This should be used for fields like Date of Birth and Preferred Appointment Date.
  • Minimum Date: For a date of birth field, you could put 01/01/1900, this would catch types. For preferred appointment date the minimum date could be set to today, that way they can't request an appointment in the past.
  • Custom Error Message: On Date of Birth with a Max Date today you could put, 'Please enter your date of birth, cannot be a future date.'


6. The Number field is a single line input that only accepts numeric values. Patients or responsible parties can only type numbers, and the form treats the answer as a number. This means it can be range-checked, used in calculations, and exported as a number rather than a text. You would want to use it anytime the number is a true quantity. Examples would be Age, Number of Children, Years since last dental visit, Number of teeth currently missing, Estimated monthly budget for treatment, etc.

The field rejects letters and symbols and on mobile it brings up the numeric keypad. It also will show a standard please enter a number error message if the value is invalid.

For finetuning the Number field using the 'Display' tab settings, see the below examples:

  • Placeholder: e.g. 35 on Age, e.g. 150 on Weight.
  • Description: Under Pain level you could enter, '0 means no pain, 10 means the worst pain you've ever felt.' Under Years since last dental visit you could put, 'Approximate is fine.'
  • Tooltip: On Household size on a financial form it could say, 'Include yourself, your spouse, and any dependents.'
  • Prefix: On Monthly treatment budget, set prefix to $.
  • Suffix: On Height, set suffix to inches. On Weight, set suffix to lbs. On Pain level, set suffix to / 10.
  • Use Thousands Separator: Turn on for Annual household income so 75000 displays as 75,000. Leave off for small counts like age or number of children.
  • Decimal Places: Default is 0 for whole numbers. Set to 1 for things like Temperature (°F) (98.6). Set to 2 for Monthly budget if the office wants cents.
  • Hidden / Disabled: Same as other fields. Disable a Calculated Age field populated from Date of Birth that the patient shouldn't edit.

For edits to the Number field with the 'Data' tab, see the below examples:

  • Default Value: On Number of dependents, default to 0. On Pain level, leave blank.
  • Multiple Values: Rarely used on Number fields. Possible use: List the ages of your children with a row per child—but a separate child-info section is usually cleaner.

For modifications or settings to the Number field using the 'Validation' tab, see below. For numbers, the 'Validation' tab can be very helpful for defining range checks to keep data accurate.

  • Minimum Value - Examples:
    • Age: min 0
    • Pain level: min 0
    • Weight: min 1 (catches accidental zero entries)
    • Years since last dental visit: min 0
  • Maximum Value - Examples:
    • Pain level: max 10
    • Height in inches: max 96
    • Number of children: max 20
  • Custom Error Message: On Pain level with min 0 / max 10 you could enter, 'Please enter a number between 0 and 10.' 


7. Another commonly used field is the Checkbox. The Checkbox is a single of/off toggle. There is just one box, that the patient or responsible party either ticks it, or doesn't. Below are some examples of what the Checkbox could be used for on a Cloud 9 Form:

  • I consent to receive text-message appointment reminders.
  • I authorize the release of my dental records to my insurance carrier.
  • I am the parent or legal guardian of this patient. (on a pediatric intake)
  • I have read and agree to the financial policy.
  • Same as mailing address (to skip re-entering an address)
  • I would like to be added to the practice newsletter.
  • I prefer to be contacted by text rather than phone.

To make modifications using the 'Display' tab settings:

  • Label: This is the full sentence the patient sees next to the tick box. We suggest keeping it clear and readable. 
  • Description: This is the smaller text underneath, and can be useful for something like, 'Standard message and data rates may apply. you can opt out at any time by replying STOP.'
  • Tooltip: This is the ? bubble that a user can hover over and see an explanation. We recommend using this sparingly on check boxes.

To adjust settings using the 'Validation' tab, see below.

  • Required: Turning required on means the patient or responsible party must tick the box to submit. Use this for consent to treat, financial policy acknowledgement, or HIPAA acknowledgement. 
  • Custom Error Message: If they do not click the tick box you could have an error message that reads, 'You must agree to the financial policy before submitting this form.'


8. Select Boxes, (or multi-select checkboxes), are a list of options where the patient can tick as many as apply, (including none). Visually, every option has its own checkbox in a vertical list.

Examples on a Cloud 9 practice's forms:

  • Reason for today's visit (check all that apply) Cleaning,  — Toothache, Cosmetic consultation, Whitening, Broken tooth, Second opinion, Other.
  • Medical conditions — please check any you have — Diabetes, High blood pressure, Heart disease, Asthma, Cancer, Stroke, Kidney disease, Liver disease, etc.
  • How did you hear about us? (check all that apply) — Google, Friend, Insurance website, Drive-by, Social media, Other.

To Finetune the Select boxes using the 'Display' tab, see below:

  • Label: always include 'Check all that apply' so the patient knows it's not a single pick.
  • Description: This can be used to clarify scope and could say, 'Include conditions you're currently being treated for or have a history of.'
  • Inline Layout: If this tick box is selected, it will display the options horizontally.


Setting up the Select boxes using the 'Data' tab:

  • Values: This is the list of options. Each option as a label, (what the patient or responsible party sees) and a Value (the underlying key). Keep values short and stable so the office's exports and reports stay consistent.

Setting 'Validation' up for Select Boxes:

  • Required: If this is selected it means at least one of the options must be selected. Do not use on questions where the patient or responsible party have no answers they can pick, unless you include a 'None' option.
  • Minimum/Maximum number checked: This could be used to set a cap by setting a maximum number selected. Minimum 1 with Required is the standard for a 'must select something' for the field.

9. Radio Boxes are a list of options where the patient picks exactly one. Visually, each option has a round radio button; clicking one un-clicks the others.

Radio Boxes should be used when there is only one answer to a question the patient needs to pick. Examples include:

  • Are you a new or returning patient? — New / Returning.
  • Sex — Male / Female / Prefer not to say.
  • Marital status — Single / Married / Divorced / Widowed / Prefer not to say.
  • Are you currently in pain? — Yes / No.
  • Do you have dental insurance? — Yes / No.
     

To finetune the Radio Boxes using the 'Display' tab, see below:

  • Label: Phrase as a question. Example: Are you currently in pain?
  • Description/Tooltip: Use the description or tooltip for clarification. An example would be the field, 'Are you the responsible party?' You could put the description as, 'The Responsible Party is who we will send the bills to'. Conversely, you could also add that as a tooltip instead of a description for clarity.
  • Inline Layout: Turn this on for short Yes/No lists to the buttons sit side by side. It should be turned off for longer vertical lists like Marital Status.

To edit the Radio boxes using the 'Data' tab, see these options:

  • Values: Same Label/Value pattern as the Select Boxes. Keep values short and stable: yes, no, morning, afternoon, evening.
  • Default Value: Almost always leave blank for clinical questions - pre-selecting an answer biases the patient or responsible party. Pre-selecting a default like Routine on 'How urgent?' is fine because it's the most common answer.

To customize Radio Boxes using the 'Validation' tab, see below:

  • Required: This should almost always be turned on for Radio buttons. If none of the answers apply to a patient, it is best to have a 'none' option, that way you can make sure an answer is required and they can pick that if none of the other options apply.
  • Custom Error Message: 'Please let us know if you currently have Dental Insurance' can be an option if they try to leave 'Do you have dental insurance?' unanswered.

To edit using the 'Conditional' tab:

  • Radio Buttons are the number one driver of conditional logic on a form: Insurance subscriber information (a whole section) shows when Do you have dental insurance? = "Yes"; Pregnancy due date shows when Are you currently pregnant? = "Yes"; Tobacco use details show when Do you smoke? ≠ "Never". For more details on configuring using the Conditional tab, see this article.


10. The Signature Field is drawable signature pad embedded right in the form.

When the patient gets to it, they see a bordered box with a faint 'Sign here' line; they sign with their fingertip on a phone or tablet, or with their mouse/trackpad on a computer. The drawn signature is captured as an image and stored with the rest of the submission.

It's the right tool any time you need the patient to acknowledge or authorize something with their actual signature. ALWAYS use the signature field for this, do not use a text area or text box. 

Typical uses on forms could be:

  • Consent to treat: the foundational signature on a new-patient packet.
  • HIPAA / Notice of Privacy Practices acknowledgment.
  • Financial policy agreement: patient acknowledges their responsibility for charges not covered by insurance.
  • Authorization to release records: to or from another provider.
  • Cancellation / no-show policy acknowledgment.

Always set signature fields to Required under the 'Validation' tab. Signature Fields should be required so the patient or responsible party has to sign to complete the form.

You can also set a Conditional Display, for example, the signature field only displays once the question 'Is the patient under 18?" has been answered with a Yes. To see more about Conditional Display, click this article.
 


11. File Upload is a drag and drop/tap to choose box that lets the patient attach files to the form. On desktop they can drag files in or click to browse; on mobile they get the native picker which usually offers, 'Take Photo', 'Photo Library' and 'Browse Files'. The uploaded files are stored with the form submission and the office sees them when they open the form inside Mytooth.

This should be used whenever you need the patient to send something in instead of typing it, a photo, a pdf, a scan or a card image.

Examples on forms are:

  • Photo of Insurance card.
  • Photo of Driver's License or other ID.
  • Previous x-rays or panoramic images from another dental provider.
  • Lab results or prescription list.

Finetuning the File Upload Box:

This has a new tab called 'File', where most of the settings live for File Upload Box. You can still change the 'Display' for label and make the field required if it is required, but most of the settings will be under 'File'. You will want to select Base64 for the storage option. Under the File Types drop down, you can also select allowable file types like: .jpg, .png, .jpeg, .pdf. Also, make sure to always select 'Display as image(s)' text box - this will show the uploaded image on the submitted PDF form.

 

To return to the main Form Creation article, Click Here.

 

As always, if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Cloud 9 Support by emailing us at cloud9support@planetdds.com, or chatting us online using the chat bubble on the lower right at https://cloud9support.planetdds.com/hc/en-us, or giving us a call during our business hours of 8:00 AM EST to 8:00 PM EST at the 1.800.394.6050 option 2.