We will endeavour to offer you an appointment as soon as possible at a time convenient to you. Our aim is to provide a prompt and high-quality dental service for all patients.
Our practice has been designed to ensure that patients with disabilities can access care. If you have a disability or any specific requirement that you feel we should be aware of, please contact us before your appointment and we will do our best to make suitable arrangements to accommodate your needs.
We operate a zero-tolerance policy towards violence or abusive behaviour directed at practice personnel, other patients, or any person on the practice premises. Any patient who acts in such a manner will be refused treatment and the matter will be reported to the appropriate authorities.
To enable us to continue providing a prompt and high-quality service, we ask all patients to attend their scheduled appointments. Failed appointments and short-notice cancellations (i.e. within 48 hours of the appointment time) deprive other patients of appointment slots and significantly increase our operating costs.
A failed appointment will be regarded as an indication by the patient to abandon that course of treatment.
A standard appointment is 15 minutes in duration; a 30-minute appointment therefore constitutes two standard appointments. Patients who fail two standard appointments will no longer be seen as an NHS patient at our practice. Re-registration may be possible on a private basis only, subject to payment of a deposit prior to the commencement of treatment.
Cancellations made with less than 48 hours’ notice may result in the termination of your proposed course of treatment without further notice.
Patients who make two short-notice cancellations will no longer be seen as an NHS patient at our practice. Re-registration may be possible on a private basis only, subject to payment of an £100 deposit prior to the commencement of treatment.
Since the introduction of the current NHS contract in 2006, patients are no longer registered with a specific practice. NHS appointments and treatment can only be offered subject to our available NHS capacity and budget.
NHS treatment not undertaken within two months of the original appointment will be regarded as an indication by the patient to abandon that course of treatment. Treatment plans are based on an initial examination; a new course of treatment may involve additional statutory NHS charges.
Your dentist will advise whether treatment can be provided on the NHS or whether it will need to be offered on a private basis, particularly where a previous course of treatment was not completed.
Our practices receive a limited annual budget from NHS England to provide NHS treatment. Our existing NHS patients are given priority. Please note that attending check-ups at your recommended intervals is the best way to ensure we can continue to see you on the NHS.
As a courtesy, we send e-mail reminders for check-ups. However, failure to attend within a reasonable period of your recommended interval may mean that your allocated NHS capacity has been offered to a new patient, and re-acceptance at the practice may only be available on a private basis.
For any failed appointment or short-notice cancellation, a charge may be made based on the length of the booked appointment. A deposit will be taken towards future treatments.
Hygienist appointments are provided on a private basis only and are not available under NHS contractual arrangements.
Patients may require more than one appointment to complete their hygiene treatment. Each session is 30 minutes in duration and will be charged at the standard session rate applicable at the time of treatment.
A full deposit is required to secure all future hygienist appointments. This deposit will be collected in advance and applied against the total treatment cost.
In the event of a failed appointment or a cancellation made with less than 48 hours’ notice, a full session charge will be applied. Patients are reminded to provide a minimum of 48 hours’ notice of any cancellation to avoid incurring this charge.
Please be advised that treatment fees are subject to periodic review. Where a price increase takes effect between the date of booking and the date of treatment, an additional amount may be payable at the point of attendance.
Our policy is to collect the full NHS charge for the appropriate band at the first appointment. For private treatments, the charge for the appointment and half the cost of the next appointment will be collected at the time of each visit.
Please note that a £10 administration fee will be charged for every reminder issued in respect of outstanding monies, reflecting our increasing operating costs. We regret that no further appointments can be booked until all outstanding balances have been cleared.
We will of course take any special circumstances into account.
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