Appointment Deposits, Cancellations and Failure to Attend Policy
Our commitment is to provide quality dental care to all our patients. To ensure the smooth functioning of our practice and to accommodate the needs of all our patients, we have established the following policies regarding appointment deposits, cancellations and failures to attend.
Appointment Deposits:
Please note that the deposit serves as a guarantee of your commitment to the scheduled appointment. This amount will be credited towards the total cost of the treatment upon completion. In the event of a cancellation or rescheduling made outside the terms of the cancellation policy, the deposit will be non-refundable. However, if you provide sufficient notice and reschedule your appointment in line with the cancellation policy, the deposit can be transferred to the new appointment. Please ensure that you arrive on time for your scheduled appointment, as any delays may result in a reduction of the allocated treatment time.
To secure private treatment appointments, a deposit is required as follows:
General;
- For appointments less than 30 minutes, we ask for a full deposit of the cost of the treatment (for example a new exam for 15 minutes cost would be £32.50. Therefore, the deposit would be the full payment of the treatment at £32.50)
- For Hygiene appointments we ask for a deposit of £35.50
- £50 for 30-minute appointments
- £100 for 1-hour appointments
- £200 for appointments exceeding 1 hour.
- In instances where appointments extend beyond a duration of 2 hours, it is at the discretion of the practice to impose a deposit requirement of £50 for every 30 minutes of the total appointment length.
Specialist;
For appointments with specialists, the corresponding deposit amount will be charged prior to the appointment. The practice reserves the right to request a full deposit equivalent to the total cost of the appointment or treatment. This deposit serves as a guarantee of your commitment to the scheduled appointment and will be deducted from the final payment upon completion of the treatment.
An example of a deposit for a specialist consultation appointment would be £130. However, please note that for treatment consultations, the deposit amount may vary and could be significantly higher. The specific deposit requirement for a treatment consultation will be communicated to you prior to the appointment by our practice.
Lateness to appointments.
To ensure punctuality, we kindly request that all patients arrive at the practice 10 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment.
We kindly acknowledge that unforeseen circumstances may lead to lateness when attending an appointment. In our commitment to providing exceptional care, we will endeavour to accommodate any unexpected lateness that may arise. However, it is important to note that the practice reserves the right to assess whether it is feasible to accommodate you within the remaining time allocated for the appointment and complete the required treatment.
This determination will be based on various factors, including the purpose of the appointment and the nature of the treatment involved. While we strive to be flexible and understanding, our primary concern remains ensuring the highest level of care for all our patients.
In the event that it is not feasible to accommodate you due to lateness, please be advised that a late cancellation fee will apply. This fee is necessary to compensate for the time reserved specifically for your appointment, as well as to help maintain the efficient operation of our practice.
If the late fee has been paid, we may be able to schedule a further appointment for you as an alternative to the missed one.
The practice imposes a late fee starting from £30 for missed appointments; however, it is important to understand that this fee may vary depending on the treatment and clinical time that has been compromised. We kindly request your understanding and cooperation in adhering to the scheduled appointment time.
Furthermore, in situations where an appointment needs to be cancelled due to lateness, the practice reserves the right to retain the deposit for the loss of clinical time.
Failure to Attend Policy:
In the event of failing to attend a scheduled appointment without prior contact, the practice reserves the right to deny and/or withhold the provision of an alternative appointment. This policy is in place to optimize our resources and provide equitable access to dental care for all patients.
Failure to attend will result in incurring a fee.
Cancellation Policy:
To ensure smooth operations and accommodate other patients, we kindly request a minimum of
General;
- Minimum of 24 hours notice* for cancelling, rescheduling and failing to attend any scheduled 30-minute appointments lasting 30 minutes or below.
- Minimum of 3 working days' notice* for cancelling, rescheduling and failing to attend any scheduled appointment above 30 minutes.
Orthodontics;
- Minimum of 24 hours' notice* for cancelling, rescheduling and failing to attend any scheduled appointments lasting 30 minutes or below
- Minimum of 2 working days' notice* for cancelling, rescheduling and failing to attend any scheduled appointment lasting between 30 minutes to 1 hour
- Minimum of 3 working days' notice* for cancelling, rescheduling and failing to attend any scheduled appointment lasting 1 hour or above
Implants;
- Minimum of 24 hours notice* for cancelling, rescheduling and failing to attend any scheduled CONSULTATION appointment (For 30-minute appointments)
- Minimum of 7 working days' notice* for cancelling, rescheduling and failing to attend any TREATMENT/SURGICAL APPOINTMENT
Endodontic;
- Minimum of 24 hours notice* for cancelling, rescheduling and failing to attend any scheduled appointments lasting 30 minutes or below.
- Minimum of 3 working days' notice* for cancelling, rescheduling and failing to attend any scheduled appointment above 30 minutes.
Periodontic;
- Minimum of 24 hours notice* for cancelling, rescheduling and failing to attend any scheduled appointments lasting 30 minutes or below.
- Minimum of 3 working days' notice* for cancelling, rescheduling and failing to attend any scheduled appointment above 30 minutes.
* (Working days and hours of notice are defined as Monday to Friday 9.00 – to 17.30, not including any Public/Bank holidays)
Please be advised that any cancellations made outside the specified notice period will result in the complete forfeiture of the deposit amount. Furthermore, one or repeated instances of late cancellations may lead to the practice declining any future appointment bookings.
Please note that the practice retains the authority to retain the deposit in such instances. Moreover, the practice reserves the right to modify the deposit amounts, which are subject to its discretion. Additionally, for specific treatments or specialised procedures, the practice may request additional deposits. Furthermore, deposits may be necessary for promotional treatments and supplementary appointments, with the precise amount being determined at the discretion of the practice.
Please refer to the sections below for additional details regarding the associated fees.
The policy regarding lateness and failure to attend remains applicable to any other appointments not explicitly stated. For further clarification, kindly reach out to the practice directly at Reception@thesandford.com.
Patients failing to attend appointments without a valid reason or prior contact will be subject to incurring a cancellation fee and forfeiting the initial appointment deposit.
Cancellation, late and Failure to attend Fees:
Please note any cancellations, reschedules, Lateness and Failure to attend made outside of the specified notice period will result in the complete forfeiture of the deposit amount. Furthermore, one or repeated instances of late cancellations may lead to the practice declining any future appointment bookings.
Patients failing to attend appointments without a valid reason or prior contact will be subject to incurring a cancellation fee and forfeiting the initial appointment deposit.
The practice imposes a late fee starting from £30 for missed appointments; however, it is important to understand that this fee may vary depending on the treatment and clinical time that has been compromised. We kindly request your understanding and cooperation in adhering to the scheduled appointment time.
Furthermore, in situations where an appointment needs to be cancelled due to lateness, the practice reserves the right to retain the deposit for the loss of clinical time.
General;
- For appointments less than 30 minutes we ask for the fee to be the full price of the total appointment missed.
- £50 fee for 30-minute appointments
- £100 fee for 1-hour appointments
- £200 fee for appointments exceeding 1 hour.
- In instances where appointments extend beyond a duration of 2 hours, it is at the discretion of the practice to impose a fee of £50 for every 30 minutes of the total appointment length.
Implants;
- Failure to provide a minimum of 24 hours' notice* to cancel, reschedule, or attend a CONSULTATION APPOINTMENT will result in a fee of £130 being imposed.
- - Failure to provide a minimum of 7 working days' notice* to cancel, reschedule, or attend a TREATMENT/SURGICAL APPOINTMENT will result in a fee of £500 being imposed.
Orthodontics;
- Failure to provide a minimum of 24 hours notice* to cancel, reschedule, or attend any scheduled appointments lasting 30 minutes or below will result in a fee of £100 being levied.
- Failure to provide a minimum of 2 working days' notice* to cancel, reschedule, or attend an appointment lasting 30 minutes to an hour will result in a fee of £130 being imposed.
- - Failure to provide a minimum of 3 working days' notice* for any appointment lasting 1 hour or more will result in an incurred fee of £300.
Endodontic;
- Failure to provide a minimum of 24 hours notice* to cancel, reschedule, or attend any scheduled appointments lasting 30 minutes or below will result in a fee of £75 being levied.
- Failure to provide a minimum of 3 working days' notice* to cancel, reschedule, or attend any scheduled appointment lasting 30 minutes to an hour will result in a fee of £130 being levied.
- General Fee structure can apply to anything above this.
Periodontic;
*(Working days and hours of notice are defined as Monday to Friday 9.00 – to 17.30, not including any Public/Bank holidays)
Please note that the practice retains the authority to retain the deposit in such instances. Moreover, the practice reserves the right to modify the deposit amounts, which are subject to its discretion. Additionally, for specific treatments or specialised procedures, the practice may request additional deposits. Furthermore, deposits may be necessary for promotional treatments and supplementary appointments, with the precise amount being determined at the discretion of the practice.
Please NOTE;
We have implemented the following policy regarding patient cancellations, failure to attend appointments, and late cancellations:
Deposit and Fee:
- At the discretion of the practice, a deposit and fee may be imposed but not limited or restricted to the above for cancellations, failure to attend appointments and late cancellations.
- The specific deposit amount and fee may or may not be communicated to you at the time of scheduling or as determined by the practice. It will be your responsibility to obtain all required information prior to booking an appointment.
- Please be aware that the practice reserves the right to retain the deposit in such instances.
- It is ultimately the patient's responsibility to enquire and obtain all relevant information prior to making their appointment.
Modification of Terms:
- The practice retains the right to modify the terms of this policy as necessary.
- Any modifications will not be communicated with the patient unless asked.
- This policy can be obtained via our website, the practice and or via manager@thesandford.com.
Importance of Timely Communication:
- We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise, necessitating appointment changes or cancellations.
- To ensure fairness to all patients, we kindly request that you notify us of any changes or cancellations as soon as possible.
- Timely communication allows us to accommodate other patients who may require urgent care.
Non-Compliance:
- Adherence to this policy is crucial to maintaining a fair and efficient appointment system.
- The practice reserves the right to take appropriate action in cases of noncompliance.
- This may include but is not limited to, issuing warnings, imposing penalties, or even terminating the patient-practice relationship if necessary.
Patient Account Suspension:
- In situations where a patient repeatedly fails to follow this policy, the practice retains the right to suspend the patient's account.
- - Account suspension may result in the inability to schedule future appointments or access certain services until compliance is achieved.
Accountability:
- By booking an appointment, you accept responsibility for any fees or penalties associated with cancellations or non-compliance.
- Understand that the practice reserves the right to retain the deposit in accordance with the policy.
By booking an appointment you acknowledge that adhering to this policy, patients contribute to the smooth functioning of our practice and ensure that healthcare services remain accessible to all. We appreciate your understanding, cooperation, and commitment to these guidelines as we strive to provide the best possible care for every patient.
Additional Considerations:
Emergency Situations:
We understand that emergencies may arise. Patients are encouraged to contact the practice as soon as possible in such cases to discuss potential rescheduling.
Appointment Reminders:
To provide excellent service, we have introduced a reminder system for our patients. This proactive measure is designed to minimize the number of appointments that are forgotten or missed. However, it is crucial to remember that even though we may or may not send out these reminders, it remains the obligation of our patients to keep track of and attend their scheduled appointments.
Flexible Scheduling:
Recognizing the unpredictability of life, we provide options for rescheduling appointments within a reasonable timeframe. This flexibility aims to accommodate unforeseen circumstances and reduce the likelihood of cancellations.
Clear Communication:
Open lines of communication between our practice and patients are essential. By addressing concerns or unforeseen circumstances promptly, we aim to create a supportive environment that minimizes disruptions to scheduled appointments.
Educational Material:
We offer educational resources emphasizing the significance of regular dental care. Informative materials also highlight the impact of missed appointments on overall oral health, reinforcing the value of maintaining scheduled visits.
Appeal Process:
We have an appeals process for patients who believe they had a valid reason for missing an appointment or were charged inappropriately. Please write your concerns to our Practice Manager at Manager@thesandford.com.
Please note that for any communication made, we kindly request that you allow up to 5 working days to receive a response. In the event of an appeal, a formal investigation may be conducted, which will be carried out within an appropriate timeframe.
Discretion of the Practice:
Please be advised that this policy is subject to the discretion of the practice. While we are dedicated to upholding these standards, we acknowledge that individual circumstances may differ, and we retain the right to evaluate situations on a case-by-case basis.
If you require alternative formats for this document, kindly request and inform us at manager@thesandford.com for further clarification.
