NHS Late Cancellations & Failed Attendance Policy

Efficient Running

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 & Text reminders

Email reminders are sent 7 working days prior to your appointment and text reminders are sent 48 hours prior to your appointment, 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 Appointments

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 will not be oﬀered any further appointments (missed appointments do not have to be consecutive).

Missed Treatments Appointments

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.

Short Notice Cancellations

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:

Telephone: 020 8881 0495

Your Medical Information

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 Hasret Albay (Practice Manager) by email: info@happysmiles.dental