By David Thompson · Published April 29, 2025 · Updated June 8, 2026 · 9 min read
If you're searching for a dental records fax number, here's the first thing you need to know: there is no single universal number. Every dental office — and every dental insurance company — uses its own fax number, which can change over time.
That said, this guide covers everything you need to get your dental records faxed quickly and correctly: how to find the right fax number, what to include in your request, HIPAA requirements, major insurance company fax contacts, and a faster alternative that skips the fax machine entirely.
Where to Find Your Dental Office's Fax Number
The fax number for a specific dental office is not public in any central directory. You need to get it directly from the source. Here are the fastest ways:
- Call the office. Ask the front desk: "What is the fax number for your records department?" This takes under two minutes.
- Check their website. Many practices list their fax number on their Contact or Patient Resources page.
- Look at past paperwork. Patient intake forms, billing statements, and explanation of benefits documents often print the office fax number.
- Check your insurance portal. If you're sending records as part of an insurance pre-authorization or claim, log in to your insurance member portal — the provider detail page often lists both the phone and fax number.
Once you have the number, verify it by reading it back to the person who gave it. A single wrong digit can send your Protected Health Information (PHI) to the wrong recipient — a potential HIPAA breach.
Fax numbers change — always verify
Dental offices update their fax numbers when they switch phone providers, relocate, or merge practices. A fax number that worked two years ago may be disconnected or reassigned. Always call to confirm before sending sensitive records.
How to Request Dental Records by Fax: Step by Step
Whether you're switching dentists, seeing a specialist, or filing an insurance claim, the process is the same.
Contact your dental office
Call or visit your current (or former) dental office. Tell them you need your records sent to another provider or mailed to you, and ask what their process is. Most require a written release authorization — some have their own form, others accept a general written request.
Complete a dental records release authorization form
Fill out the release form — either the office's own version or a standard written authorization. You'll typically need to provide:
- Your full name, date of birth, and contact information
- The name and fax number of the recipient (new dentist, specialist, insurance company)
- Which records you need (X-rays, full chart, treatment notes, periodontal charting)
- The reason for the request (new patient transfer, specialist referral, insurance claim)
- Your signature and the date
Return the signed form by fax, email, in person, or mail.
The office processes and sends the records
The dental office compiles your records and transmits them to the recipient's fax number, typically within 5–10 business days. Under HIPAA, they have a maximum of 30 calendar days from receipt of your written request.
Confirm receipt
Follow up with the receiving party — your new dentist's office or the specialist — to confirm the fax arrived and is complete. Faxes occasionally fail, and it's better to catch this before your appointment.
You can also fax the authorization form yourself
If you need to send a signed release form to your dental office, you can fax it directly using your phone. mFax.to lets you upload the signed form and fax it in under 2 minutes — no fax machine needed.
What to Include on the Fax Cover Sheet
Any fax containing dental records must include a HIPAA-compliant cover sheet as the first page. This protects your information if the document sits in an unsecured fax tray.
Required cover sheet elements:
| Field | What to Include |
|---|---|
| Sender name | The dental office name and contact person |
| Sender fax number | The office's outgoing fax number |
| Sender phone | A callback number in case of problems |
| Recipient name | Full name of the receiving provider |
| Recipient department | "Attention: Custodian of Records" or specific provider |
| Recipient fax number | The verified number you're sending to |
| Date and time | When the fax is being sent |
| Total pages | Including the cover sheet |
| Confidentiality disclaimer | Required HIPAA language (see below) |
Standard HIPAA confidentiality disclaimer:
"This fax transmission contains confidential information that may be protected health information (PHI) under the HIPAA Privacy Rule. It is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you have received this fax in error, please immediately notify the sender by telephone and destroy all copies of this transmission."
Never put PHI on the cover sheet itself
The cover sheet is visible to anyone who handles the fax. Do not include the patient's diagnosis, Social Security number, treatment details, or billing information on the cover page. The confidentiality disclaimer is there precisely because the clinical content follows on subsequent pages.
You can generate a free professional fax cover sheet using the mFax.to cover sheet generator — no account required.
Dental Insurance Company Fax Numbers
Dental offices send claims and pre-authorization requests directly to insurance companies — patients typically don't need to fax insurers directly. However, if you're submitting records to support a disputed claim, a disability application, or a pre-authorization appeal, here are fax contacts for major dental insurers.
Always verify insurance fax numbers before sending
Insurance companies update their fax numbers frequently. The numbers below are based on publicly available provider directories but may have changed. Always call the member services number on the back of your insurance card to confirm the current fax number before sending any documents.
Delta Dental
Delta Dental operates as 39 independent regional companies — there is no single national claims fax number. Find the correct fax number for your region using the Delta Dental Claims Submission Lookup Tool.
Example regional numbers (verify before use):
- Delta Dental of Virginia (claims): (540) 491-9717
- Delta Dental of Minnesota: (651) 994-5414
- Delta Dental of Washington (provider): (800) 460-3159
MetLife Dental
- Claims fax: (315) 792-6342
- Mail: MetLife Dental Claims, 5950 Airport Rd, Oriskany, NY 13424
Aetna Dental
- Member services: 1-800-451-7715
- Pre-authorization fax varies by plan — check aetna.com or call member services for current number
Guardian Dental
- Customer care: 1-844-561-5600
- Non-X-ray claims fax (Managed DentalGuard): (916) 679-7197
Humana Dental
- Provider claims: 1-800-833-2223
- Online provider portal at provider.humana.com
United Concordia / TRICARE Dental
- TRICARE Dental Program: 1-844-653-4061
- Provider contact: unitedconcordia.com/contact
Cigna Dental
- Provider services: 1-800-244-6224
- Paper claims mail: Cigna Dental, P.O. Box 188037, Chattanooga, TN 37422-8037
HIPAA Rules for Faxing Dental Records
Most dental offices are HIPAA-covered entities because they submit electronic insurance claims. That means strict privacy rules apply to how your records are handled and transmitted.
Your Rights Under HIPAA
- Right to access: You are entitled to a copy of your dental records.
- 30-day timeline: The office must provide records within 30 calendar days of your written request. They may take one 30-day extension but must notify you in writing within the first 30 days.
- No withholding for unpaid bills: A dentist cannot deny you records because of an outstanding balance. This is a common myth — and a HIPAA violation.
- Reasonable fees only: Offices can charge for the cost of labor, supplies, and postage. They cannot charge excessive fees as a barrier to access.
Rules Dental Offices Must Follow
- Verify the fax number before sending — fat-finger errors that send PHI to the wrong recipient can constitute a HIPAA breach.
- Use a HIPAA cover sheet as the first page of every fax containing patient information.
- Secure the fax machine — it must be in a restricted area, not a public hallway.
- Internet fax services (including apps like mFax) transmit electronic PHI and require the provider to sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA).
Digital fax is actually more secure than traditional fax
Traditional fax machines print documents that sit in open trays. Anyone walking by can read them. Modern cloud fax services like mFax Business deliver records directly to a password-protected inbox, with TLS 1.2+ encryption in transit and AES-256 encryption at rest — plus a signed BAA for HIPAA compliance.
Common Reasons People Need Dental Records Faxed
Understanding the context helps you request exactly the right records:
| Reason | Records Typically Needed |
|---|---|
| New dentist | Full chart, all X-rays, periodontal charting, treatment notes |
| Specialist referral (endodontist, oral surgeon) | Relevant X-rays, treatment notes, referral letter |
| Orthodontist | Panoramic X-ray, full dental chart, photos |
| Insurance pre-authorization | X-rays, periodontal charting, clinical notes supporting the procedure |
| Insurance claim appeal | Supporting clinical documentation for denied procedure |
| Second opinion | X-rays and treatment plan documentation |
| VA disability claim | Full dental history; fax or mail to VA Claims Intake Center |
| Military dental readiness | Full dental record, recent X-rays |
| Legal / malpractice | Complete record including informed consent forms |
What's Actually in a Dental Record
When you request records, it helps to know what you're asking for. A complete dental record includes:
- Personal and medical history — medications, allergies, systemic health conditions
- Periodontal charts — pocket depths, bone levels, bleeding points
- Radiographs — panoramic X-rays, bitewing X-rays, periapical X-rays
- Intraoral photographs
- Treatment notes and clinical progress notes
- Informed consent forms
- Referral letters and correspondence
- Lab results
- Billing and insurance records
Request digital X-rays, not faxed copies
X-rays faxed over a traditional phone line often arrive blurry or unreadable. If your new dentist or specialist needs to work from your X-rays, ask your dental office to send the original digital files (in DICOM format) by secure email or their patient portal. This preserves full diagnostic quality.
Common Problems — and How to Fix Them
Problem: The office won't release my records
Solution: Remind them in writing that HIPAA grants you the right to access your PHI within 30 days. If they still refuse, file a complaint with your state dental board or submit a complaint to the HHS Office for Civil Rights.
Problem: Records arrived without X-rays
Solution: X-rays are clinical records you're entitled to. Call the office and specifically request that radiographs be included. If they claim the X-rays "can't be transferred," this is incorrect — they may be charging a separate fee for duplicates, which is allowed, but they cannot refuse to provide them.
Problem: The fax didn't go through
Solution: Confirm the fax number was correct, then ask the sending office to resend and provide a transmission confirmation page as proof. Using a digital fax service gives you automatic delivery receipts.
Problem: Records took longer than expected
Solution: Call the office and ask for a status update. If it has been more than 30 calendar days since your written request, they are in violation of HIPAA. You can escalate to the state dental board or HHS OCR.
Problem: The fax quality was too poor to read
Solution: Request digital records (DICOM files for X-rays, PDF for charts) sent via secure email or patient portal rather than fax. Most modern dental practices have digital X-ray systems that can export files directly.
A Faster Alternative: Fax the Authorization Form from Your Phone
You don't need a fax machine to fax your signed authorization form to the dental office. With mFax.to, you can:
- Download and fill out the records release form (or photograph your signed copy)
- Open mFax on your iPhone or Android phone
- Upload the form, enter the dental office's fax number, and tap Send
- Get a delivery confirmation — no machine, no store, no waiting
Over 5 million people use mFax to send faxes from their phones. It costs far less than the $1.89–$5/page you'd pay at a UPS Store or FedEx Office, and you get a confirmation receipt proving the fax was delivered.
For dental offices and healthcare providers that send records regularly, mFax Business provides virtual fax numbers, HIPAA compliance with a signed BAA, team accounts, and a full audit trail — starting at about $9/mo (billed annually). You build your own plan: pick the exact number of seats (1–35) and pages (200–5,000) your office needs with a live calculator and pay only for what you use, instead of being locked into rigid fixed tiers.
Dental Records Fax Number FAQ
Can I fax my own dental records to a new dentist?
Usually, the fax is sent by your current dental office after you submit a signed authorization form. You cannot fax records you don't physically have. However, if you have a copy of your own records (some patients receive copies), you can fax them yourself using a service like mFax.to.
How much can a dentist charge to fax records?
Under HIPAA, fees must be reasonable and cost-based — limited to labor for copying, supplies, and postage. States set maximum per-page rates; California caps it at $0.25/page. Many offices waive the fee entirely for transfers to other providers.
Can I get dental records for a deceased family member?
Yes, in most states. The executor of the estate or next of kin can request records for a deceased patient. Documentation of your relationship to the deceased may be required.
What if I don't remember which dentist I went to?
Check with your dental insurance company — your claims history shows every provider you visited under your plan, along with their contact information. Your insurance card's member services number can help you access this.
Do dental records expire?
Dental offices are generally required to retain adult patient records for 7–10 years (varies by state). Some states require records to be kept until the patient reaches age 21, or for at least 3 years after the patient's last appointment — whichever is later. After that period, records may be legally destroyed.
Send Your Dental Records Fax Now
Getting your dental records faxed doesn't need to be complicated. Find the receiving provider's fax number, submit a signed release form to your dental office, and follow up to confirm receipt.
If you need to send the authorization form yourself — or fax any supporting documents — mFax.to lets you do it from your phone in under 2 minutes. No machine. No store. No waiting.
For healthcare providers and dental offices that handle records regularly, mFax Business delivers HIPAA-compliant faxing with a virtual fax number, secure inbox, and signed BAA — everything you need to stay compliant without paper machines.