We want to make sure that we can provide the best care possible to all our patients. That is why we kindly ask you give us 48hrs notice if you cannot make it to your appointment. This way, we can avoid wasting any treatment time and keep waiting lists as short as possible.
Email reminders are sent 3 working days prior to your appointment, and patients are requested to inform the practice of any changes to their contact details. We also offer a paper appointment card when the appointment is made in person in the practice. If you prefer to be reminded using an alternative contact method, please let the reception team know so this can be arranged for you.
Missed NHS appointments cannot be charged for, but we have a strict policy for non-attendance in line with NHS regulations.
Patients who fail to attend two NHS dental appointments are unlikely to be offered any further appointments (missed appointments do not have to be consecutive).
Your dentist will terminate your treatment if you miss an appointment without prior notice. You may then need to pay for a new course of treatment. Please be aware that there is currently a significant waiting time for treatment appointments on the NHS.
Whilst practices cannot charge you for not turning up, NHS England has the right to ask you to find another dental surgery if you continue to miss appointments. If you miss an NHS appointment and do not attend again within 24 months, we may not be able to see you again as an NHS Patient.
If you cancel an appointment with less than 48 hours or two full working days’ notice, we may not be able to offer that time slot to another patient. This means that we lose surgery time, and we still must pay for our staff and overhead costs.
Cancellations should be made by telephone or by email:
According to the guidelines set by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), your dentist will ask you to schedule an examination appointment once your treatment is complete. This is to ensure that you continue to receive proper dental care. If you choose not to schedule an appointment now, the practice will send you a recall email. Please note that we may not have the exact appointment time you requested, but we will offer you the nearest available appointment.
However, it is the patient’s responsibility to attend regular appointments and keep track of them.
If you fail to attend regular examination appointments as recommended by your dentist, we will assume that you no longer require our NHS services. For future appointments, private fees will apply without any exceptions.
Please complete the online forms below prior to your appointment.
Exempt patients, it is your responsibility to complete the form correctly. The practice takes no responsibility, and if completed incorrectly, you may be liable to be fined. For further information, please see link https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-NHS-dental-costs/free-NHS-dental-treatment
If there are any issues with the portal, please arrive 5 minutes early to complete the necessary forms in the practice and inform the reception team.
It is essential we hold up-to-date medical information on your records. It is useful to bring a copy of your repeat prescription if you take any medications. Please note if you are unable to provide us with up-to-date medical information prior to your dental treatment, your appointments may be postponed until this information is received by the practice.
Any appeals about missed or cancelled appointments should be made in writing to Liz Arnold (Practice Manager) either by post or email liz@brenchleydental.co.uk.
