SmartDental Care - Patient Responsibility Charter and Patient Booking Fee Policy

 

At our practice, we are committed to providing the highest quality of care and ensuring that all patients receive timely access to appointments. To help us achieve this, we have implemented the following booking fee policy:

  • Booking Fee Requirement
    • Patients are required to pay the full amount of the appointment fee at the time of booking to reserve their slot.
    • NHS patients who are exempt from paying will be refunded the full amount of the booking fee upon attending their appointment.
  • Before You Arrive at Your Appointment
    • Please try to arrive at least 10 minutes earlier than your scheduled appointment so you can fill out any necessary forms that may be required before your appointment.
    • We usually send these documents to you electronically in advance of your examinations so you can fill them out online to save time.
  • Arriving Late to Your Appointment
    • Any patient that arrives more than 5 minutes late for their dental appointment may not be seen.
    • If you think you are going to be late, please call your practice at your earliest opportunity to save you a wasted journey.
    • In this scenario, your appointment will be cancelled and considered as a short notice cancellation.
  •  Cancellations and No-Shows
    • You need to give at least 48 working hours' notice to cancel or rearrange appointments.
    • Failure to provide 48 working hours' notice will result in the loss of the booking fee.
    • Patients who do not attend their appointment without prior notice will forfeit their booking fee.
  • Repeat Non-Attendance Policy
    • If a patient fails to attend an appointment on two or more occasions due to non-attendance or short-notice cancellation within 18 months, their registration with the practice will be terminated.
    • After termination, patients will no longer have access to the services at the practice. They will need to find an alternative practice or re-join the practice as a private patient.
    • If a patient needs an emergency appointment, such as for a toothache, they will only be seen as a private patient for a fee of £50, payable in advance.
  • Appointment Reminders
    • To support patients in attending their appointments, reminders will be sent out as follows:
      • One week before the appointment.
      • Two days before the appointment.
      • A telephone reminder will also be made one day before the appointment.
  • Patient Responsibility
    • It is the patient’s responsibility to ensure they attend their scheduled appointment or provide the required 48 working hours' notice if unable to attend.
    • Patients can notify the practice of a cancellation or reschedule by:
      •  Calling the practice. If the call is unanswered, patients may leave a voicemail.
      •  Emailing the practice directly.

We appreciate your cooperation in adhering to this policy, which helps us minimise disruptions and ensures appointment availability for all our patients.

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