Case notes record information for one purpose; your letter may need to organise it for another. Copying every heading in order can produce a letter that is accurate in parts but difficult to use.
The case-note guidance in Prescribed Letters for Dental Success connects the recipient, purpose and selection of details. This article practises that planning decision.
Write a short reader brief
Before drafting, state who will read the letter and what they need to do. Use the actual task rather than assuming that every letter has the same recipient or purpose.
Original planning example
Reader: Workshop coordinator.
Task: Arrange access support.
Useful groups: Current difficulty, arrangements already tried, assistance requested.
Group related facts
Details from different parts of the notes may belong together if they explain the same issue. Keep chronology clear within the group, especially where a situation has changed.
Choose the better paragraph group
A paragraph combining the access problem with the attempted arrangement helps explain the request. Adding unrelated hobbies simply because they appear nearby in the notes does not strengthen that explanation.
Check each paragraph’s job
Write a brief label beside each paragraph in your draft. If two paragraphs repeat the same job and information, consider combining them. If one contains several unrelated jobs, reorganise it.
Use this method as a planning aid rather than a compulsory template. The best order depends on the particular task and the information supplied.
Explore OET Writing for Dentists — Course 3 to see the course outline, current availability and enrolment options. Use the worked exercise above to identify a skill you would like to practise next.
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OET Writing for Dentists — Course 3
Explore the complete course outline and related practice topics.
Source: OET DEN WR 03.epub, Jobins Training. Examples labelled original or illustrative were written for this article. Independent exam preparation; no affiliation with or endorsement by the examining body. Practice does not predict an official score.