Providing sufficient notice
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please contact the practice immediately by calling 01689 664600. If you call out of practice opening hours you can leave a voice message. You can also email us at [email protected] or complete the contact form below.
Please note, we require a minimum of 2 working days’ notice (Monday to Friday, excluding weekends and public holidays), so that we can give other patients the opportunity to be seen.
There are some treatments which involve a considerably longer appointment, in which case we respectfully request that as much notice as possible is given, over and above the 2 working days usually required. This frees up the time slot for other patients, enables us to reallocate practice resources, and helps us to reschedule your visit as early as possible.
Cancellation fees
If cancelling an appointment with less than 2 working days’ notice, or failing to attend an appointment, a charge may be made to cover the lost time and overheads. This will be based on the duration of the cancelled or missed appointment.
For patients on our Denplan payment plans, it may be necessary to forgo one allotted visit for a dental examination or hygienist care. For treatment appointments, a fee of 50% of the specific treatment cost may be charged.
It is never our desire to charge for missed appointments or short-notice cancellations, and we fully appreciate that unforeseen circumstances sometimes arise. While we always aim to be fair and reasonable, there are nevertheless occasions where we still need to cover overheads incurred by the practice.
So that we can prioritise care for the many patients who respect our time and value our services, we reserve the right to request prepayment for appointments or decline to see anyone who repeatedly fails to attend and/or regularly cancels at short notice.
Why this policy is important
Caring Dental is committed to providing high-quality dentistry and patient care, in a modern, comfortable and well-run practice.
When an appointment is booked, it is reserved for that specific patient and tailored to their needs, including preparation of the surgery and team. This ensures we are able to provide the dedicated time, personalised care and high-quality treatment that every patient deserves.
If an appointment is missed, or cancelled at short-notice, it disrupts our schedule and preparations, leaving a vacant time slot that could otherwise have been used to see other patients.
Late arrivals
We very much appreciate patients arriving promptly for their appointments. Again, we understand there could be many reasons for arriving late, including traffic and parking. If you are new to the practice, you may wish to read about visiting and accessibility, including public transport and parking options.
If you believe you are going to be delayed, please contact the practice as soon as it is possible and safe to do so, and we will always do our best to ensure you can still be seen. Please note that if you do arrive late, treatment time may be reduced or rescheduling may be necessary, which could incur fees.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Appointment reminders
For patients’ convenience, we operate an automated system which sends both email and text (SMS) reminders for all appointments. If for any reason you are not receiving these, please speak to our reception team to confirm that we have your correct contact details.
Please note that automated reminders are a courtesy service only, and it remains the patient’s responsibility to ensure they attend appointments. We would encourage you to put appointments in your calendar and set your own reminders.
When deposits may be required
For lengthy procedures or if you are seeing one of our specialists, a deposit may be requested at the time of booking. This secures the appointment, ensuring that valuable and in-demand slots are booked effectively. The deposit will be credited towards the cost of your treatment.
If you need to cancel or reschedule, providing adequate notice will allow you to transfer your deposit to a future appointment. Deposits may be forfeited if cancellations are made at short-notice (less than 2 working days) or if appointments are missed.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Chris Prange
Practice Owner