Attendance and cancellation policy

Appointment Policy – Ensuring Fair and Efficient Care

At our practice, we are committed to providing high-quality dental care to all patients. To ensure smooth scheduling and fair access to appointments, we have established the following policy regarding appointments, cancellations, and missed appointments.

Why This Policy Matters

Missed or late cancellations of appointments disrupt our ability to provide timely care to other patients. By implementing this policy, we aim to ensure that all patients have access to the care they need while minimising lost appointment time.

Booking and Attendance

• Patients are expected to arrive on time for their scheduled appointments.
• If you are unable to attend, we require at least 24 hours’ notice to reschedule or cancel your appointment.
• Text reminders and emails are sent as a courtesy service to help you manage your appointments.

Cancellations and Missed Appointments

• Private Patients: Private patients may be required to pay a deposit when booking. If they miss or cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice, the deposit will be lost. If no deposit has been taken, a missed or late cancellation may result in a broken appointment fee.
• Private Treatment Appointments: If a patient fails to attend a scheduled private treatment appointment, the deposit paid for that session will be lost, or a broken appointment fee will be charged.

Whenever we need to change or cancel an appointment, we will provide as much notice as possible.

Patients are responsible for attending regular check-ups, updating their contact details, and following any advice on prevention and diet. If a patient misses an NHS appointment and does not attend again within 24 months, we may not be able to see them again as an NHS patient. Repeated short-notice cancellations may also lead to restrictions on future bookings.

This policy ensures that appointments remain available for those who need them, allowing us to provide the best possible care. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.