Terms of Business

Treatment planning

Once your treatment plan has been agreed with the Dentist, we will provide you with a written estimate of your plan. If this plan changes due to radiographic or clinical findings, we will inform you and discuss this with you accordingly. Treatment plans are valid for 30 days from the date the treatment was prescribed. If there are any questions on your treatment plan, please do not hesitate to ask us, prior to commencing treatment.

Consent forms

Certain treatments require completion of a written consent form. This is to ensure that we have explained the treatment, aftercare, and any risk to you thoroughly, before any of these treatments are carried out. It also allows you to make an informed decision before agreeing to treatment.

Continuity of Care

We will try for each patient to see the same dentist throughout their course of treatment, to provide continuity of care. Due to appointment diaries and waiting lists, you may see a different dentist at certain times. The choice of dentist for you to see will be made by the practice. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to see a specific dentist for NHS treatment as this will depend on availability. If, for any reason, a patient’s dentist is not available when required, then arrangements will be made for the patient to see someone else within the practice for that time.

Fees

Fees for treatment are due on the day the treatment is provided. We do not operate an account in arrears facility. In some circumstances, we reserve the right to request payment in advance for certain treatments. Payment methods accepted are:

• Cash
• Debit/Credit Card, excluding American Express. Please note that unpaid accounts are routinely referred to a Debt Collection Agency or the Small Claims Court, and we reserve the right to recover all costs incurred in doing so.

Cancellations and Failed Appointments

We require a minimum of 24 hours’ notice for cancellation of any arranged appointment. When we schedule an appointment for a patient, we are booking the surgery time off for the patient’s treatment. Failure to give the appropriate notice of cancellation will result in a Failed Appointment Fee being charged. This fee is proportionate to the length of the appointment failed and is to cover the cost of the surgery time wasted. Failed Appointment fees must be settled before any other appointment is offered. Please note that we cannot accept notice of cancellation by text message, or answer phone message, as these are not screened daily.

For NHS Patients, our practice policy is that if, on more than one occasion, patients cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice or do not attend an appointment, then we will no longer be able to offer them appointments for NHS treatment. In addition, if you have not been seen at the practice for over 2 years, your details will be removed from our system and you will no longer be able to receive NHS treatment. In order to prevent this situation, you must attend regularly for your appointments.

Ongoing Treatment

If you have outstanding treatment, you will be sent an e-mail, asking to book this in. We will allow 7 days for you to get in touch, and if we do not hear from you, you will be contacted again. After a further 7 days, if we do not hear from you to book your appointment in, your treatment will be closed down and further charges will apply again when you do attend.

Late for Appointments

In order to be fair to the other patients, if you are more than 5 minutes late, please be aware that you may be asked to reschedule your appointment. This will go down as a missed appointment.

Personal Details

It is very important that you give a full medical history and details of any medication you take. Should these change in any way, it is very important for you to tell your Dentist. It is the patient’s responsibility to inform the clinic of any changes in either personal details and /or their medical history.