Why am I required to leave a deposit for my treatment?

At Hermitage Dental Practice we understand that life can be unpredictable, and schedules can change unexpectedly. However, we also understand the importance of our patients' time and the impact that missed appointments can have on our practice and other patients who may need to be seen urgently.

To ensure that we can provide the best possible care to all of our patients, we have implemented a deposit policy for all appointments. This policy requires a deposit to be made at the time of booking, which will be applied towards the total cost of the appointment. Deposits are non-refundable in the event of an appointment being missed without prior notice or if the appointment is cancelled within 48 hours.

We take deposits for the following reasons:

1. Secure Appointments: Deposits are taken to secure the appointment slot for our patients. This means that we can guarantee the time and resources needed to provide high-quality care to our patients.

2. Reduce No-Shows: Deposits help to reduce the number of missed appointments, which is not only frustrating for our team but also denies other patients the opportunity to be seen. By taking a deposit, we can encourage our patients to commit to their appointments and reduce the likelihood of no-shows. We currently experience on average 20 hours of wasted surgery time per month due to no-shows.

3. Cover Costs: Deposits help us to cover the costs associated with missed appointments. These costs include staff time, equipment, and resources that may have been allocated to the appointment.

4. Fairness: Deposits ensure that all patients are treated fairly and equitably. If a patient fails to show up for their appointment without providing adequate notice, it may prevent other patients from being seen in a timely manner.

We understand that there may be extenuating circumstances that may prevent a patient from being able to make their appointment. If this is the case, we ask that our patients provide us with as much notice as possible so that we can make arrangements to reschedule the appointment.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping us to provide the best possible care to all of our patients. If you have any questions or concerns about our deposit policy, please contact the management team.