Cancellation and Missed Appointment Policy

So, why do practices charge for this at all?

Because the appointment was yours, and when it goes unused nobody else gets it either.

Appointments at Croft Dental are booked for you specifically, with a clinician and nurse set aside for the time your treatment needs. When one is missed or cancelled at short notice, that time cannot usually be filled. Somebody else who needed to be seen was not, and your own treatment gets pushed back.

That said, we would much rather move your appointment than charge you for missing it.

Life happens. Children get ill, cars break down, work throws something at you at four o’clock on a Tuesday. None of that is a reason for a fee, and in practice we waive them regularly.

If something has come up, tell us as soon as you know. Reasonable notice means no charge and no awkwardness, and that is genuinely all we are asking for.

Changing or cancelling your appointment

We are happy to move appointments. All we ask is reasonable notice.

Please give us at least two working days’ notice.

That means two days the practice is open, not counting weekends. So for a Tuesday appointment, we would need to hear from you by 6:30pm on the preceding Friday.

How to let us know

• Call:
  01625 523 524, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6:30pm
• Email:
  dentist@croftdental.co.uk
• WhatsApp:
  Message us on the practice line
• Reply to your reminder:
  Just reply to the text or email we send before your appointment

If we are closed, leave a message or send an email. It will be picked up when we open, and the time you sent it is what counts rather than the time we read it.

Late cancellations and missed appointments

Where an appointment is cancelled with less than two working days’ notice, or is not attended at all, a charge of £75 per half hour of reserved clinical time may apply.

What that means in practice

• A 30 minute appointment: £75
• A one hour appointment: £150
• A two hour appointment: £300

Before that figure alarms you, please read the next section.

When we will not charge

We do not want to charge anybody, and in practice we frequently do not.

We will normally waive the fee where

• You or somebody you care for became unwell
• There was a family emergency or bereavement
• Travel disruption or an accident prevented you attending
• Something genuinely unavoidable happened
• It is the first time it has happened

Just tell us what happened. You do not need to provide proof and nobody is going to interrogate you. A quick call or message explaining is enough.

Where fees are more likely to apply

• Repeated missed appointments or short notice cancellations
• Long appointments booked specifically for you, particularly surgical or cosmetic treatment
• No contact at all, either before or after the appointment

If you have been charged and you think it is unfair, tell us. Speak to the practice manager and we will look at it again.

Deposits

Deposits reserve the time set aside for you and come off the cost of your treatment.

Appointment type	Deposit
New patient appointments	£20
Any appointment over one hour	£100
Cosmetic and implant treatment	Calculated per case

How deposits work

• They come off your treatment cost:
  Every deposit is deducted from the total. You are not paying anything extra.
• They are refundable:
  Fully refundable or transferable if you cancel or move your appointment with at least two working days’ notice.
• Where notice is not given:
  The deposit may be retained against the cancellation fee.

If you are running late

Please call and let us know. We will usually be able to see you, though we may need to shorten the appointment or complete part of the treatment another day.

Where arriving late means the treatment cannot be carried out safely or properly, we may need to rebook it. If that happens, you will not be charged, though we will ask you to allow more time for the next appointment.

Short notice and cancellation list

When somebody cancels, we try to fill the time.

If you would like to be seen sooner, ask to go on our short notice list. We will call you if something becomes available.

It is worth doing if you are flexible, particularly if you are waiting for a longer appointment or you are in discomfort.

Appointment reminders

We send reminders before your appointment by text and email, but the reminder is a courtesy rather than something to rely on. Messages occasionally do not arrive.

Please make a note of your appointment when you book it, and let us know if your mobile number or email address changes.

If you are anxious about appointments

Some people miss appointments because they are dreading them rather than because something came up. If that is you, please tell us rather than simply not attending.

We can allow more time, explain everything before it happens, or arrange a first visit where nothing happens except a conversation. None of that is a problem, and it is considerably better than avoiding the practice altogether.

Nobody will comment on a previous cancellation either. Book again whenever you are ready.

Questions

If you have any questions about this policy, or you have been charged and want to discuss it, please contact us.

Croft Dental & Implant Practice
64 Manchester Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 2JY
01625 523 524
dentist@croftdental.co.uk
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6:30pm