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 clinic 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:
Patients are asked to arrive at their appointments before their scheduled appointment time. 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. Since our office is a specialty practice, some advanced and more complex procedures allow a 5 minute grace period.
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. 3consecutive last minute cancellations or 3 consecutive no shows may result in being seen in a walk in only basis or dismissal from the practice.
To assist the patient in keeping appointments, we will initiate a reminder telephone call, email or text message, before the patient’s scheduled appointment. During the reminder call, 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 voicemail, email or text message to confirm, cancel or reschedule 24 hours before the scheduled appointment. All reminder calls 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.
The Late Arrival and No Show Cancellation Policy are each strictly enforced.