Laws vary from state to state. In Texas, the originals are part of the permnent record that the dentist must retain. However most dentists will give you a copy, commanly for a fee,andmost of the time they are unreadable.
I had a young man return from his freshman year at college with 29 cavities. When questioning him, I found out he had only brush once or twice a week. Want to be his roommate?