Terms & Conditions
Cancellation Policy
At Martock Dental Practice, we value your time and strive to provide exceptional service to all our patients. To maintain the highest level of service and fairness, we have established the following cancellation policy.
We aim to provide all of our patients with the best possible service and to achieve this we need your cooperation. To this effect we do offer a complimentary appointment reminder service, however, it is the responsibility of our patients to remember their appointments.
Notice Period
We require a minimum of 48 hours notice for any cancellation or rescheduling of appointments. This allows us to offer the time slot to other patients who may be waiting.
Please note that the 48-hour notice period does not include weekends or bank holidays.
We reserve the right to charge for lost time if an appointment is cancelled 2 or more times due to illness in any 12-month period at our discretion.
Full working days mean 9.00 am until 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.00 am until 3.00 pm on Friday where the practice is open. (Please note MDP is closed between Christmas eve and New Year inclusive so any cancellations for early January appointments should be made before Christmas with the appropriate notice.)
Late Cancellations, failed to attends or late arrivals
There will be a 100% charge for new patient examinations and a 50% charge for all other missed or short-notice cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice. Repeated late cancellations or failed to attends may affect future booking privileges, we do request the full payment of the next appointment.
If you arrive late for your appointment, we may not be able to accommodate you and a charge will still be payable.
Martock Dental Practice reserves the right to cancel or reschedule a service due to unforeseen circumstances, such as illness, extreme weather conditions or equipment failure. Efforts will be made to notify the patient in advance and provide an alternative date. Martock Dental Practice will not be liable for any additional costs or damages incurred by the patient due to appointment cancellation or rescheduling and the maximum liability will be limited to a refund of the advance payment fee ONLY.
Repeat failure to attend booked appointments
If you fail to attend a booked appointment without notifying us, we will contact you by phone, text, or email to remind you of the importance of cancelling in advance if you are unable to attend. A failed to attend charge will be raised. To rebook this appointment we ask for the failed to attend charge and 50% deposit for the future appointment is made.Â
After two consecutive failed appointments or multiple within the year we regret that we will be unable to offer you further appointments at the practice.
Booking Deposits
Upfront/ advances charges are payable to secure your appointments, this is 100% of new patients’ examinations and 50% of treatment appointments.
If a cancellation occurs within 48 hours of the treatment time, any fees or deposits paid by the patient will be non-refundable.
Exceptions
We understand that emergencies can occur. Exceptions to this policy may be made in genuine emergency situations, assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Access & Emergency
Definition of Dental Emergency
At Martock Dental Practice we will endeavour to see patients with pain, swelling or trauma within 48 hours of initial contact, where possible. This applies to patients who attend examinations on a regular basis. If we are working at full capacity at any given time, we will manage the patient and refer them to another service if necessary.
Patients who are currently undergoing treatment and who have pain or swelling will be offered an appointment within 48 hours of initial contact.
During out-of-hours, there is an answer phone message advising patients of help available. Please note we cannot guarantee this will be your usual provider.
Emergency and urgent appointments are subject to an additional charge. Patients will be advised of the applicable fee at the time of booking wherever possible.
Dental pain
Severe, uncontrollable (with pain relief) dental pain.
Swelling
Swelling of the jaws, face or neck.
Fractured jaws
Affects speech, teeth may not meet properly, swelling inside mouth, limited mobility, pain etc. Most commonly happens after an accident, blow to the chin etc.
Uncontrolled Bleeding
Any bleeding that cannot be controlled by firm continuous pressure from a pack for 10 minutes may need suturing. Most commonly happens after extraction, due to infection or alcohol, aspirin, drugs etc.
Loss of consciousness
No matter how brief, anyone who was unresponsive may have suffered internal brain damage that could worsen if left without investigation. Most commonly happens after a blow to the head or accident.
New Patient Emergencies
New patients attending as an emergency will have their emergency treatment prioritised, but it is our policy to also undertake a full New Patient Consultation at the same time wherever possible. This is because other factors in a patient’s dental condition may have a bearing on how their emergency is addressed and it is good practice to ensure all patients that attend for care at MDP have comprehensive records of their initial presentation to the practice.
Such emergency appointments will be payable in advance of the appointment in addition to any treatment that may be carried out and the New Patient Consultation fee. No guarantees are applicable to emergency work and no responsibility is accepted for any condition not covered by the emergency appointment.
Patients will be encouraged to return for a New Patient Consultation if there is inadequate time to carry this out during the emergency appointment. Any additional costs incurred as part of an emergency appointment (e.g., the urgent manufacture of an immediate denture incurring laboratory fees where a tooth is being lost) are payable in full on the day of the emergency based on verbal consent only.
Clinicians at MDP are under no obligation to see or advise patients with emergencies that are not registered patients of MDP outside surgery hours and can accept no responsibility for any consequences arising as a result.
Cold Sore Policy
Cold sores are common for many people in the UK. Like all viruses, they are contagious and pose a risk to others. The herpes simplex virus is spread through contact.
Cold sores usually emerge as a small ulcer-like patch on or surrounding the lip line, they can come up in a matter of hours and usually take between seven days and four weeks to heal, depending on the severity. From the time they begin to emerge to the point at which they are fully healed, they pose a contagion risk.
At Martock Dental Practice we ask patients that if they have had a cold sore for less than 2 weeks, please reschedule any non-emergency dental treatment or hygienist appointments until after this contagious period has passed. This is not only because of the high risk of spreading the virus but also because your lips may feel sore and could crack or bleed during treatment.
If urgent dental treatment is required (you are in pain and need immediate attention), our dentists will request that your cold sore be protected with a cold sore plaster to minimise the risk of crossinfection during emergency dental treatment.
If you do get a cold sore and you have a dental or hygienist appointment arranged, please call the practice with as much notice as possible, to reschedule any non-emergency treatment.
Bad Debt Policy
This practice maintains a strict payment policy where all payments for dental treatment should be paid in full prior to the completion of treatment.
If, for whatever reason, the fees are not paid, the practice will inform the patient via a phone call, text message/letter or email that there is money outstanding on their account and to refer to our payment policy.
A second phone call, text message, letter or email will then be sent requesting immediate payment if payment is not paid within a seven-day period. If there has been no contact or payment within the next seven-day period then a third contact will be sent warning of losing the right to be seen at the practice with immediate effect.
If payment is not made within a further 24 hours, we will use a debt recovery company to recover the debt outstanding.
No further appointments will be made until outstanding debts are cleared and deposits for future appointments made.
Zero Tolerance Policy
Staff treating patients have the right to work free from any threat or fear of abuse, violence or forms of aggression.
Unacceptable behaviour which will not be tolerated within the dental practice includes:
- Actual or threatened physical violence on staff or other patients.
- Psychological abuse of staff
- Verbal abuse, which includes shouting or swearing
- Racial abuse
- Sexual harassment or abuse
- Threats against practice personnel which occur in the workplace
- Theft or damage of practice property
- Taking drugs or alcohol on the premises
This list is not exhaustive
If any patient is abusive or violent towards any member of staff or any other persons on the practice premises, the practice retains the right to have the patient removed from their list. In extreme cases, the police may also be contacted.
Registration to the practice
Please be advised that patients are only considered registered with the practice if they have attended routine visits within the past three years.
If you have not had a routine appointment during this time, you may no longer be classified as an active patient and could be required to re-register.
We encourage all patients to maintain regular check-ups to ensure continuity of care and to remain registered with the practice.
General T&Cs
Types of reports at MDP to which these terms and conditions relate
These Terms and Conditions should be read in conjunction with any accompanying Treatment Plans and Estimates as applicable.
Medical History questionnaire
All patients attending MDP will be required to fully complete or update a confidential and comprehensive online prior to attending their initial consultation and each appointment thereafter. Parents or guardians should complete or assist in the completion of this for minors under the age of 18.
Your medical condition may adversely affect, be affected by dental treatment or needed in times of a medical emergency and it is important that these questionnaires are completed in full and received prior to your initial consultation and the medical history questionnaires re-updated before any subsequent appointments.
This allows the clinician looking after you to study and document your history and individual concerns and requirements in advance of your consultation or future appointments to plan your care at MDP. These questionnaires are an indispensable part of your patient record, our comprehensive care protocols and medico-legal obligations to you.
We reserve the right to postpone your consultation appointment with loss of your deposit or we may require additional consultation time at additional cost to you if these completed questionnaires are not completed in full.
New patient consultation
All patients attending MDP for a New Patient Dental Consultation will undergo a full, systematic and comprehensive dental examination including necessary radiographs, clinical photographs and occasionally an intraoral scan.
This is the comprehensive care policy of MDP where we are obliged to report on every aspect of our patients’ clinical condition. It ensures that no aspect of our patients’ dental or medical conditions that may have a bearing on the success of treatment or future health are missed, even if seemingly unrelated to their current condition.
A photography consent will also be filled out where required. Secondary consultations with another clinician for existing patients at MDP are chargeable depending on specific requirements.
Reports after consultation
After the New Patient Consultation, we will generate a treatment plan estimate included in your consultation fee. In cases requiring extensive dental work, a Full Dental Report (FDR) with a summary of our significant findings and recommendations and a phased estimate range outlining the likely recommended scope of treatment will be produced at an additional cost. It is necessary for the patient to download and view this report as part of the consultation process. The FDR includes a more detailed documentation of their current condition annotated clinical photographs and x-rays, detailed treatment options, a detailed treatment plan with viable treatment alternatives, a likely treatment schedule and phased estimate.
The patient’s signed consent to the proposed plan for their care will be required prior to any non-emergency treatment commencing. These forms should be signed even if NO treatment is to be carried out at MDP- please note, signing these plans will not automatically imply consent to treatment.
Each Full Dental Report (FDR) is custom written for each patient outside clinical practice hours and can take 2-4 hours to complete. The Full Dental Report is chargeable separately. All information pertinent to the patient’s case will be included in the FDR correspondence and refers to the discussions and findings at the consultation appointment(s) and any subsequent additional investigations. The patient should question any aspect of the plan that is unclear to them in writing and receive a satisfactory written explanation. It is also possible to arrange a complimentary 30-minute virtual meeting to discuss the plan. It is the patient’s responsibility to ensure they understand what is being proposed prior to commencement of treatment or at any stage during treatment and to request further information in writing if anything is unclear. MDP is not obliged to commence any treatment without written consent and accepts patients for treatment solely at the discretion of the clinician(s).
Estimates
All estimates are custom-written based on each individual patient’s requirements and are calculated from detailed planning of each case from all the information gathered. Estimates are valid for 3 calendar months from the date of this correspondence unless MDP are unable to fit you in within these time frames. All fees are payable in advance in phases outlined in the Treatment Plan Estimate.
Time limit for estimates
Where this 3-month period overlaps a date of fee revision at the practice, we will honour the original estimate if treatment commences.
Credit remaining
If the treatment has been paid for in advance but the treatment cannot be completed or is discontinued with written notice by either party, any credit remaining shall be refunded within 3 calendar months of such notice being given in writing. This period is to ensure that any additional emergency or remedial work that may be required by the patient in this period is covered if a plan is discontinued. No interest will be payable on this refunded sum.
Estimates
Staged estimates
Due to the complexity of some courses of treatment, it may not be possible to give an accurate estimate of fees at the start of treatment until some investigative procedures are carried out first and the response to initial treatment evaluated.
Such estimates will then necessarily need to be staged or phased. The patient will be informed in writing as soon as possible if the treatment costs are likely to exceed the estimate. An estimate of further investigations required will be made in the Full Dental Report.
Estimates are not definitive quotes
Please note that our estimates are not definitive quotes and may vary up or down during a course of treatment.
You will be informed of these changes and a balancing payment figure and invoice will be sent to you in writing before the next phase of treatment. Payments of fees towards treatment must follow the treatment phases and are based on treatment proceeding to the prescribed timescale. We may complete treatment for a lower fee than initially predicted.
Additional fees are likely to be incurred if treatment is delayed beyond the recommended timescale or further time or expense is incurred in completing a case due to revision of the plan at any stage, delay from the side of the patient or if a case proves to require significantly more time or expense to complete than first predicted. If further fees are incurred, then balancing payments will be requested.
Biological failures
Many biological failures are beyond the control of the dental surgeon and can be related to the medical and genetic profile of individual patients, for example those patients susceptible to destructive gum disease.
- Complete failure of bone grafts or soft tissue grafts or dental implants in non-smokers, patients not taking bisphosphonate or other bone metabolism-influencing medication such as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI’s), protein pump inhibitors (PPI’s) or are allergic to penicillin, all of which are risk factors for the increased failure rate of dental implants, and not having any disease process influencing bone or soft tissue healing including but not limited to diabetes types I and II, high LDL cholesterol and low vitamin D levels. We may require patients to have blood tests via their GP if we suspect a systemic medical cause to any failures. We may request appropriate blood tests prior to any elective treatment if you have a history of biologic failure of previous treatments.
- Failure of root canal treatment by persistent infection but not including breakage or root fracture under a crown or due to a delay in protective crowning or onlaying for protection when recommended.
Interpretation of Terms and Conditions
Final interpretation of these terms and conditions rests with the Principal dentist of MDP. Any areas of dispute may be referred for independent arbitration with the professional indemnity society of the clinician concerned. Details of the clinician’s professional indemnity society can be requested from the Practice Manager Sarah Salisbury.
Clinical records & consent
Original materials and records ownership
All original material and digital dental records, laboratory work, photographs and patient data recorded on any medium remain the property of MDP and may be used anonymously and within the constraints of the current General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) from 25th May 2018 for, including but not restricted to- brochures, social media posts, promotional materials and websites unless the patient informs us otherwise in writing or indicates the level of acceptable usage on their initial Photgraphy consent form which can be updated by the patient at any time.
If consent for usage of images or videos has been given and is subsequently withdrawn, it would not be possible for MDP to remove these images or videos from all public media, but only any platforms over which it has control such as websites or professional presentations.
Transfer or copies of clinical notes
Photographs and intraoral scans are taken routinely as part of clinical records, and it is not acceptable for us to work without this documentation. Copies of all photographs, radiographs, CBCT scan screenshots are included as part of the FDR. Digital copies of all clinical notes and data that we hold for a patient can be requested from us in writing using our email at [email protected]; these may be emailed or forwarded to the e-mail address(es) requested on the form by a We Transfer secure link for download within 2 working weeks of request.
Implied consent to treatment
If the patient does not digitally sign and return their Treatment Plan Estimate or the full dental report but has a scheduled appointment that they have booked in anticipation of proceeding with treatment, attendance for this scheduled appointment following receipt of this correspondence and payment in advance for the next phase of treatment implies consent to commencing treatment as proposed and to settling associated fees as per these terms and conditions if no other communication is received in writing or by e-mail from the patient prior to the treatment appointment.
MDP reserves the right to postpone treatment without obligation or liability where clear signed consent or payment has not been received prior to any elective treatment appointment being booked, without liability for the consequences of any delay or disruption to the patient’s schedule or clinical condition. It is not acceptable for MDP to commence or continue with non-emergency treatment without clear and continuing consent from the patient or advance payment to cover the costs of each appointment or treatment items. A completed and signed Treatment Plan Estimate or the full dental report is therefore required in all cases for the avoidance of doubt and for MDP to comply with current consent legislation.
Withdrawal of consent
The patient may withdraw consent for further treatment at any time by writing to [email protected] (or where the patient does not have e-mail, by regular post for the attention of Martock Dental Practice, 13, Church Street, Martock TA12 6JL) indicating their wish to decline further treatment with their reasons for withdrawing consent and indicating that they are aware of the risks of discontinuing recommended treatment.
However, MDP will then cease to be liable for any adverse events, either immediate or longer term, that may take place because of stopping the recommended treatment or maintenance appointments from the date of consent withdrawal. This request will be copied to your clinical record at the practice. If the patient wishes to resume treatment and more than 6 months has passed, a new examination appointment and an Updated Dental Report may need to be provided at additional cost to bring your medical and dental condition and treatment plan up to date in case of any changes.
Lakshmi Kanneganti BDS MFDS RCS (Edin) and Associates
13 Church Street, Martock, Somerset TA12-6JL
www.martockdental.co.uk
Telephone: 01935 823040
Email: [email protected]