Do all Dentist's charge 拢25 if you don't keep an appointment,and refuse to treat you until it is paid?

I went this morning with a face like the elephant man due to an abscess,but was told I would'nt be seen until I paid a 拢25 fine for not keeping a previous appointment,a new policy I wasn't aware of.

Our Dentist has had this rule for years, I think its a good thing it stops people messing about, it doesn't take much to cancel an appointment if you cant attend, then someone who needs it can go in your place.

No some charge even more!

Did you phone and cancel your last appointment? if not then you will be charged this has been the rule for years.

Its bloody twenty five quid, hardly going to dent the savings too much is it?

Not all dentists do this.

I would check to see if this is actually legal.

In the meantime try and find another dentist.

Remember...If you can't keep the appointment phone and cancel...it gives someone else a chance who may need emergency treatment.

Good luck, hope you get sorted soon.

If not all do, they should do.

Doctors should apply the same policy too.

Less,same,more or nothing,just depends.

I think so because mine threatened me with a 25pound penalty when i missed an appointment as well.I`ve never heard of any refusing to treat until the penalty was paid though.Maybe he`s trying to safeguard his finances.Pay up and get your treatment.

No my dentist is great & very understanding, but I do try to give him as much notice as possible if I can't make it for an appointment. Also I have about 12 members of my family who all have him as their dentist & he know us all well. I suppose I'm really lucky
I would say that if this is a new policy then you should have been previously notified about it. Thats like the bank putting your mortgage up without letting you know. Not allowed!!

Most dentist do this b/c if you cancel w/out 24 hours notice or do not show for your appointment you have wasted our money and it is expensive to keep a business running and pay employees. There are unforeseen circumstances like emergencies that are waved of this fee. Normally when you sign all that paper work at the beginning you sign an appointment policy that states this and they usually also have it posted in the office. Technically, unless they have sent you a letter telling you about the fine and/or telling you to find a new dentist, They have to treat you for emergencies, but that doesn't mean they have an appointment today. If you received a letter they only have to treat you for emergencies for 30 days (or they may have told you this over the phone).
However, it is quite frustrating when people cancel w/ less than 24 hours notice or do not show at all b/c the supplies, electric and gas bills, etc are all just piling up while someone tells me Oh I'm sorry I forgot. Try to remember how you would feel if you were running a business.

Mine charges 拢20

Look, it's not a branch of Tesco ,you can't just pop in if you feel like it.

Have you any idea how much it costs to run a practice? If you book time with the dentist you should pay for that time otherwise it's costing the dentist money. Not keeping an appointment is effectively the same as stealing money.

Don't want to sound too harsh but dentists need to make a living. It's a crap enough job without having to pay for others' thoughtlessnesss.

You are lucky, my boss charged 60 pounds per hour for a missed appointment, people dont realise how much time they waste when people with genuine pain cannot be seen because you are to busy, its common courtesy to phone and let them know you cant make it. Anyway, if it has been over 18 months since your last appointment at the dentist the health board will have automatically de-registered you from the practise, and they won't be obliged to treat you, also if you failed to return for treatment they can request that you be taken off their list and you will not be covered for emergency treatment either. If you have attended in the last 18 months its possible that they might have kept you on their list but the only way to find out would be to ask your dentist or contact you local health board, if you are still registered they you ARE entitled to emergency treatment, although it might just be a temporary measure and the dentist could refuse to finish your treatment, your best bet is to either pay the 25 pounds or try to find another practise to take you on.

Yes they do.

My bf now doesn't have a dentist because he refused to pay a fine for not keeping an appointment the he says he didn't even book.

His dentist WILL NOT see him under no circumstances unless he pays the fine.

Its the same with any medical appointments, doctors hospitals..whatever.

You ll probably find a notice in the reception about it.