Appointments Policy

We endeavour to manage our appointments system to avoid delays in appointment times and minimise loss of surgery time through cancellations and failed appointments.

Practice appointment system

• We manage our appointments so that treatment appointments are booked no more than 8 weeks ahead.
• We try not to keep you waiting and to see you within 10 minutes of your appointment time. Where there is a delay, we will explain the reasons.
• Where the length of your appointment is longer than 5 minutes, we will remind you of the day and time of your appointment, by text email, or phone (as preferred).
• We monitor our waiting times for (i) treatment and (ii) for booking appointments.
• If we need to change or cancel an appointment, we will give you as much notice as possible, and explain the reasons.
• We will let you know if there is a change in the dentist that you will see and explain the reason for the change.

Communications

• We will be courteous, friendly, and professional always.
• We will respond promptly to telephone calls and never ask you to ‘hold’ without first finding out why you have called.
• You will receive full information about our services and our policy for collecting fees, including the methods of payment that we accept.
• We will explain your treatment options and costs, answer your questions and allow you time to consider the best for you.
• We will provide a treatment plan and estimate of costs for each new course of treatment and seek your full and specific consent before providing any treatment.
• We will provide urgent advice and care during practice hours as soon as is practicable.
• Outside normal surgery hours all patients can contact NHS direct at 030001234010 Denplan patients can call 07469199900 for advice or the Denplan helpline on 080084499.
• We will refer you for further professional advice and treatment when appropriate.
• We will respond to correspondence within five days of receipt.
• We encourage you to provide feedback; we will listen to your views and learn from them.
• We make it easy for you to complain or raise a concern about any aspects of the care or service that you have received. Our procedure for dealing with complaints is available ask the reception team or view policy on website.

We ask that you

• Participate in your dental treatment, particularly any advice about prevention and diet that we have asked you to continue at home.
• Arrive on time for your appointment.
• Let us know if you are unable to keep your appointment by phone or email on enquiries@apsmilecare.co.uk, please give at least 24 hours’ notice (We may charge private patients for missed appointments where we have not been notified and all NHS patients will be removed from practice if we are not notified due to the high volume of NHS patient’s we have that require routine care.)
• Tell us if your contact details (address, telephone number, and email) change so that we can keep our records up to date and ensure that we are able to contact you.
• Treat our staff courteously; they will do their best to meet your needs.

Date 23.07.2022
Reviewed December 2022
Review date 23.07.2023