--- title: "Referring Patients to an Orthodontist: A Guide for GDPs" url: https://virtualconsultant.online/dentists description: "Refer by letter, email, NHS e-RS or the practice's online referral form. Each referral is logged against the patient record with a named owner." updated: 2026-09-18T00:00:00Z publisher: Virtual Consultant Online --- # Referring a Patient to an Orthodontist Using Virtual Consultant Online A quick guide for general dental practitioners (GDPs) referring patients to an orthodontic practice that runs on Virtual Consultant Online — what happens to your referral when it arrives, how your patient is contacted, and what to ask the practice about hearing back. [See How Referrals Are Managed](https://virtualconsultant.online/orthodontic-referral-management-software) [Book a Demo](https://virtualconsultant.online/book-demo) ## What happens after you refer a patient Orthodontic practices using Virtual Consultant Online keep each referral against the patient's record, with a status and a named team member, rather than in a separate spreadsheet or inbox. If the practice has shared its online referral link with you, you can refer in a couple of minutes without an account: your submission creates the patient record, a task for the practice team and an instant alert to the practice. Where the practice offers it, your patient can then complete a remote photo assessment before their first in-person appointment, so the orthodontist already has a clinical picture to work from. Acknowledgements and referral-back letters are sent by the practice team itself, so ask the practice what they send and when. You can still refer by letter, email or NHS e-RS exactly as you do today. ### Referral management How the receiving practice logs, assigns and tracks your referral from receipt to first contact. [Open page](https://virtualconsultant.online/orthodontic-referral-management-software) ### Remote orthodontic assessments Many practices ask referred patients to complete a short remote photo assessment before their first visit, so triage starts sooner. [Open page](https://virtualconsultant.online/clinicians/features/remote-assessments) ### Book a demo See the referral, assessment and follow-up workflow yourself if your practice also offers orthodontic treatment. [Open page](https://virtualconsultant.online/book-demo) ## Related resources Background reading if you're comparing orthodontic practices or want to understand the platform your referrals go through. [For clinicians](https://virtualconsultant.online/about/clinicians) [NHS orthodontic pathways](https://virtualconsultant.online/nhs) [Platform highlights](https://virtualconsultant.online/about/platform-highlights) ### Frequently Asked Questions Does referring through a Virtual Consultant Online practice change how I send a referral? No. You can refer exactly as you do today, by letter, email or NHS e-RS, depending on what the receiving practice accepts. Many practices also share an online referral link with local dentists: you enter the patient's details, your own contact details and any notes, and submit without creating an account. Either way, Virtual Consultant Online mainly changes what happens to the referral once it reaches the practice, where it is logged against the patient with a status and a named owner. Will I be told my referral has been received? Referrals sent through a practice's online referral link are logged against the patient straight away, and the practice is alerted by email and push notification, so the referral does not sit unseen in a shared inbox. Virtual Consultant Online does not send an automatic acknowledgement to the referring dentist, so any confirmation of receipt comes from the practice team. If confirmation matters for your own records, particularly for NHS referrals where you may need to evidence the date a referral was made, ask the practice what they send back and when. Will I hear back after my patient has been assessed? Most orthodontic practices send a referral-back letter after the initial assessment confirming the outcome and proposed treatment plan, and some update the referring dentist again at key stages of treatment. This is written and sent by the practice rather than generated automatically by Virtual Consultant Online, so the timing and level of detail vary between practices. If a referral-back letter matters for your records, confirm the practice's process when you first start referring to them, and include your preferred email address on each referral. What is the remote photo assessment my patient might be asked to complete? Some practices ask newly referred patients to submit a short set of guided photos through Virtual Consultant Online before their first in-person visit. The patient follows on-screen prompts for each angle using their own phone, and the practice can ask for a retake if a photo is unclear. This gives the orthodontist an initial clinical picture ahead of the appointment, which can shorten the time between referral and a confirmed treatment plan. It does not replace an in-person clinical examination. Can I refer both NHS and private patients this way? Yes. Virtual Consultant Online supports practices managing NHS and private patients alongside each other, so from your side the act of referring is the same under either pathway. What differs is what happens next: NHS orthodontic referrals are assessed against IOTN eligibility criteria and enter a commissioned pathway with its own waiting times, while private referrals typically move to a consultation and quote much sooner. Where a patient may not meet NHS eligibility, it is helpful to prepare them for the possibility that private treatment will be discussed. Who is this guidance written for? This guidance is written for general dental practitioners referring a patient to an orthodontic practice, and it describes the referral from the referrer's point of view rather than the patient's. Patients looking to find an orthodontist, understand treatment options or book a consultation are better served by the patient-facing sections of the Virtual Consultant Online site, which cover eligibility, treatment types and costs in the detail a patient needs and without the referral-process detail that is only relevant to a referring clinician. Explore Virtual Consultant Quick links Not sure where to start? Use these quick links to explore how Virtual Consultant supports your practice — from guided photo intake and remote assessments to digital quotes, automation, monitoring and integrations. Start a free trial when ready to create a demo account with no bank details required. Explore [Feature Hub](https://virtualconsultant.online/clinicians) [Start Free Trial](https://virtualconsultant.online/account/register) [Buying Guide](https://virtualconsultant.online/orthodontic-software-buying-guide) [Financial Benefits](https://virtualconsultant.online/orthodontic-software-financial-benefits) [Lead Management](https://virtualconsultant.online/orthodontic-lead-management-software) [CRM Alternative](https://virtualconsultant.online/orthodontic-crm-alternative) [Multi-Site](https://virtualconsultant.online/orthodontic-software-for-multi-site-practices) [Reporting](https://virtualconsultant.online/orthodontic-reporting-software) [Enquiry Management](https://virtualconsultant.online/orthodontic-enquiry-management-software) [Case Acceptance](https://virtualconsultant.online/orthodontic-case-acceptance-software) [Treatment Coordinator](https://virtualconsultant.online/orthodontic-treatment-coordinator-software) [Pricing](https://virtualconsultant.online/costs/clinician/pricing-plans) [About](https://virtualconsultant.online/about/clinicians) [Remote Assessments](https://virtualconsultant.online/clinicians/features/remote-assessments) [Digital Quotes](https://virtualconsultant.online/clinicians/features/digital-quotes) [Automated Follow-Up](https://virtualconsultant.online/clinicians/features/automated-follow-up) [Dental Monitoring](https://virtualconsultant.online/clinicians/features/dental-monitoring) [Integrations API](https://virtualconsultant.online/clinicians/features/integrations-api) ## See the workflow inside Virtual Consultant Online Start a free trial or book a demo to review the patient intake, quote and follow-up workflow. [Start free trial](https://virtualconsultant.online/account/register) [Book demo](https://virtualconsultant.online/book-demo) Citation details Title Referring Patients to an Orthodontist: A Guide for GDPs Publisher Virtual Consultant Online Published 2024-06-01 Updated 2026-09-18 URL [https://staging.virtualconsultant.online/dentists](https://staging.virtualconsultant.online/dentists)