Before the setup: identify the current reference
List the intended arch, restoration stage, supplied bite and clinician-approved treatment instructions. Mark which provisional or setup is the accepted reference. Confirm component and library information where implants are involved. Missing records or conflicting instructions belong in an exception log before dependent design proceeds.
Setup review: record what is being accepted
Identify the file version and views used in review. State which tooth positions, proportions or transitions are approved and which require changes. A statement such as looks good is ambiguous if the reviewer has only seen a screenshot. Record the approved stage and remaining requirements.
Production preparation: check the receiving workflow
Confirm the specified material, manufacturing process and supported components. Identify separate outputs and whether editable case data are needed. Review access and geometry against applicable instructions supplied by the lab. A setup acceptance does not waive subsequent production checks.
Use the worksheet across a review cycle
The stage-review worksheet asks for the record version, design version, reviewer, approved elements, requested changes and next milestone. Fill it out for the stage actually being assessed. For example, acceptance of a supplied reference arrangement can be recorded without calling it final production approval. This is an illustrative review distinction, not a description of a real case. The responsible clinical and production teams decide which milestones their prescribed workflow requires.
Do not merge three decisions into one
Record the clinical instruction, digital design-stage acceptance and manufacturing release as the distinct decisions they are. They may involve the same person in a small organization, but the responsibilities still need to be explicit. When a component or reference changes, identify which decision must be revisited. A file named approved is not sufficient when the team cannot say which stage, input version and receiving production process it refers to.
Changed inputs: decide what must be reconsidered
A replacement bite, new scan, component change or revised clinical plan can affect previously approved work. Record the change, the affected units or arch and the decision owner. Reconfirm scope and timing rather than treating every new input as a minor cosmetic revision.
Release: retain a traceable decision
Name the approved output version and who authorizes manufacturing. Document unresolved items instead of concealing them in a final filename. Clinical verification remains with the treating team; digital views do not prove fit or patient outcomes. Use the downloadable stage-review worksheet to keep the handoff explicit.
Prepared by Pristine Dental Design · October 6, 2026. Workflow guidance for dental professionals. Case-specific instructions and receiving-team approval govern actual design and production.