No Show/Late Arrival Policy
We realize that emergencies and other scheduling conflicts arise and are sometimes unavoidable. However, advance notice allows us to fulfill scheduling needs and keeps the office operating at its most efficient level, which is especially important for health and safety protocols. Due to our one-on-one treatments, missed appointments are a significant inconvenience to your dentist, the office, and other patients.
This policy is in place out of respect for all of us, including you. Cancellations with less than 24-hour notice are difficult to fill. By giving last minute notice or no notice at all, you prevent someone else from being able to schedule into that time slot.
Late Arrival Policy:
A grace period of 10 minutes will be permitted for unforeseen delays a patient may encounter while traveling to the office for their scheduled appointment. If a patient arrives more than 10 minutes late for their appointment, the patient will be given the option of either being seen that day as a walk-in, if the schedule permits, or rescheduled for a later date. This process will ensure patients who do arrive on time are seen in a timely manner.
No Show/Cancellation Policy:
A “No Show” is a patient who fails to appear for a scheduled appointment without providing a 24-hour cancellation notice. Further, a rescheduled appointment that is less than the 24-hour cancellation notice is still considered a cancellation and is treated as such.
To assist the patient in keeping appointments, we will initiate a reminder telephone call, text message and email before the patient’s scheduled appointment. During the reminders, a patient is offered the opportunity to either confirm or reschedule the appointment. All reminders are documented in the patient’s electronic health record (EHR). Following the reminder (or appointment confirmation), the patient is responsible for canceling or rescheduling the appointment no less than 24 hours before the scheduled appointment.
It is the responsibility of the patient receiving the reminders to confirm, cancel or reschedule 48 hours before the scheduled appointment. All reminders are documented in the patient’s electronic health record (EHR). If the patient’s phone is “out of service” or not receiving calls, the patient is still responsible for keeping the scheduled appointment.