At Canning Town Dental Practice, we are committed to transparency, high-quality care, and clear communication. This page outlines our key policies, including practice rules, NHS registration requirements, payment terms, refunds, warranties, and our complaints process. We encourage all patients to read this information carefully to ensure a smooth experience with us.
NHS Dental Registration Guidelines
Maintaining Your NHS Registration
Your registration with our practice depends on attending regular dental examinations. Many patients lose their NHS registration by failing to schedule or attend regular check-ups.
To protect your registration:
- Always check out with reception after your appointment and book your next check-up (whether 3, 6, or 12 months ahead, depending on your dentist’s advice).
- Keep your contact details up to date (email, phone number, address, exemptions).
- Look out for email reminders – all reminders are sent by email only. We do not send SMS reminders. If your details are out of date, you risk missing important reminders.
- If you do not book your next check-up before leaving, our automated system will continue to send you reminder emails until you do.
- We kindly ask all patients to attend at least once or twice every 12 months. Please note that if you do not attend a check-up within 24 months, you will be removed from our NHS patient list. If your NHS registration lapses, you can join our NHS waiting list by filling out the “Join Waitlist” form on our website.
- Help dependents (e.g., elderly relatives) by assisting them with forms and appointment scheduling.
New Patients
To register with us, please complete the Join Waitlist form available on our website’s homepage to join our NHS waiting list. A member of the team will contact you when we are able to offer you an NHS appointment. For non-NHS appointments, you can book online on our website or call the practice.
Email Requirement
All correspondence is sent via email. If you do not have an email address, we may not be able to accept your registration. In such cases, please provide the email address of a trusted family member or friend (with their permission) and ask them to relay information and assist you with completing pre-appointment forms.
Accessibility Notice
Please note: we are a first-floor practice without wheelchair or pushchair access.
- Prams, pushchairs, bikes, scooters and wheelchairs cannot be left at the bottom of the stairs, in front of the door, or in reception.
- This policy is in place for fire safety reasons.
Attendance and Cancellations
Missed Appointments
- A missed appointment (including late cancellations) will be recorded on your file.
- If you miss two appointments (consecutive or not), you will be removed from our patient list.
- If you attend your next scheduled visit after missing one, we will do our best to continue accommodating your preferred appointment times.
- Missed long appointments (e.g., 40 minutes) will count as multiple missed appointments (e.g., 40 minutes = 2, 60 minutes = 3, etc.).
Short-Notice Cancellations and Lateness
- Cancellations must be made at least 24 hours in advance by phone, voicemail (leave your name, DOB, and reason), or email.
- Patients arriving more than 10 minutes late may not be seen, and their appointment will be marked as missed.
- Late cancellations (less than 24 hours) also count as missed appointments.
These rules ensure that appointment slots can be offered to other patients in need and are in line with our practice policies to ensure we can provide effective dental care to all our patients.
Booking and Reminder System
- At the end of your treatment, your dentist will recommend when your next check-up should take place, following NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines. This may be every 3, 6, 9 or 12 months and you are expected to follow this advice to maintain good oral health as well as your NHS status at the practice.
- You may book as far in advance as you like. You are required to book your next appointment when you check out so please ensure you check out with our reception team before you leave.
- While we try to accommodate your preferred times, availability cannot be guaranteed.
- Responsibility for keeping up with appointments rests with patients (or guardians/carers of underage patients).
- If you fail to attend check-ups as advised, we will assume you no longer require NHS care. Future treatment will then be charged privately, and your NHS registration will be removed.
Appointment Forms (Patient Bridge)
Before each new course of treatment, you must complete mandatory forms sent via Patient Bridge, a secure third-party platform. These are legal requirements, and without them the dentist cannot see you.
Forms include:
- Medical History Form
- Treatment Consent Form
- FP17PR (NHS Declaration) – If this form is not completed, you will be charged private fees. Exempt patients must complete the form correctly; errors may result in NHS fines, for which the practice cannot be held responsible.
Important Notes:
- Forms are required for every new course of treatment, even if you were seen only a short time ago.
- Parents/guardians must complete forms for underage patients.
- Patients unable to complete the forms independently should seek assistance from a family member or friend.
- Our team unfortunately cannot assist in filling out these forms as we run a very busy practice.
Updating Medical Information
It is essential that we hold accurate, up-to-date medical information.
- If you take regular medication, bring a copy of your repeat prescription to your appointment.
- Failure to provide current medical details may result in postponement of treatment.
Payment and Refund Policy
General Policy
- All payments must be made in full before treatment is completed. In some cases, full payment may be required before treatment begins.
- Treatment fees including NHS banding scheme is displayed at reception and on our website’s Treatment and Fees page.
- Exempt patients must provide proof of valid exemption before the start of treatment.
- Private treatment requires a signed consent form. NHS or mixed treatment requires signing the FP17DC form.
- We accept: Cash, Visa, Visa Electron, MasterCard, Maestro, and American Express.
Outstanding Payments
- Patients with unpaid balances will be unable to receive treatment or book any appointments till the required payments are made.
- Treatment may be delayed until outstanding fees are cleared.
Cancellations by the Practice
- If we need to cancel a course of treatment, we will notify you as early as possible.
- Our liability is limited to refunding any payments already made.
- Refunds will be processed using the original payment method.
Cancellations by the Patient
- Cancel with 24 hours’ notice to receive a full refund for any unprovided treatment.
- Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice may result in partial charges to cover overheads.
- Hygiene appointments are non-refundable if missed or cancelled without at least 24 hours’ notice.
- For discontinued treatment, 14 days’ notice is required. Refunds will exclude laboratory costs (e.g., crowns, bridges, dentures).
- For NHS treatment, refunds are calculated according to NHS Business Services Authority rules.
Refund Process
- Refund requests must be made in writing to admin@canningtowndentalpractice.co.uk.
- Refunds will be processed within 14 business days.
- Cash refunds must be collected in person.
Treatment Warranty
At Canning Town Dental Practice, we are proud to offer a treatment warranty to provide patients with reassurance and confidence in the quality of our work. Most treatments provided at the practice are covered by a one-year warranty against defects in workmanship or materials. Composite fillings are covered by a two-year warranty, and dental implants come with a lifetime guarantee on the parts themselves, as we use only premium-quality components. However, the dentist’s and laboratory’s time associated with implant treatment is not included in the lifetime guarantee and will be charged separately on a case-by-case basis.
This warranty applies only if the patient has paid for treatment in full, has no outstanding balance, and has followed the maintenance and hygiene advice provided by our dentists. It does not cover damage caused by neglect, accidents, trauma, or excessive grinding of teeth. While no treatment can be guaranteed to last beyond one year, most issues related to materials or components become evident within this period and will be addressed accordingly.
There are situations where the warranty may not apply. For example, if a patient chooses an alternative treatment to the one recommended by the dentist, or if a more comprehensive treatment was advised but declined, the warranty may not extend to the chosen option. Likewise, if a patient proceeds with treatment despite being warned of a high risk of failure, the warranty will not apply. It also does not cover ongoing or post-operative symptoms requiring root canal therapy, the recementation of crowns, inlays, veneers, or bridges provided elsewhere, temporary or semi-permanent restorations, or dentures where poor retention is due to limited bone support or muscle intolerance. Repairs, relines, and adjustments of dentures made at other practices within the previous 12 months, as well as immediate or post-immediate dentures where the healing process is incomplete, are also excluded. If a patient chooses to be treated by a different clinician rather than the one who originally provided the treatment, the warranty will not apply.
Please note that our composite filling warranty covers free replacement if the filling comes out within two years, provided the conditions outlined above are met. However, if fillings repeatedly fail, the dentist will assess whether there is an underlying or external issue contributing to the problem.
The treatment warranty applies only to patients who return to the practice for regular examinations (at least once to twice a year). If you experience a problem with your treatment, it is important that you contact us to arrange an appointment so we can evaluate the situation and provide the necessary care.
Complaints Policy
At Canning Town Dental Practice, we take patient feedback very seriously and are committed to providing a service that meets the highest standards of care. If a patient expresses dissatisfaction, we ensure the matter is handled with courtesy, efficiency, and fairness. We always aim to resolve complaints as swiftly as possible while maintaining open and respectful communication.
If you wish to make a complaint, you may do so by phone, in person, or in writing. Complaints made verbally will be listened to carefully, and we may ask you to put the details in writing for clarity. Written complaints should be sent to our management team at admin@canningtowndentalpractice.co.uk. If the matter relates to clinical care or associated charges, it will usually be referred to the treating dentist unless you specifically request otherwise.
We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days and may arrange a meeting with you to discuss the matter in more detail. Our aim is to resolve all complaints within 14 working days. If more time is needed to complete the investigation, we will notify you of the reason for the delay and provide an updated timeframe. Once our investigation is complete, we will send you a written response outlining the findings and decisions made.
We maintain a full record of all complaints received and guarantee that no patient will ever be discriminated against or treated unfavourably as a result of making a complaint. In some cases, such as those involving clinical care or financial issues, it may be necessary to share information about your treatment with insurers, indemnifiers, or legal advisers in order to resolve the matter appropriately.
We also have a strict policy in place to ensure a respectful and safe environment for both staff and patients. Any form of abusive, aggressive, or threatening behaviour, including shouting, swearing, or intimidation, will not be tolerated. Patients who engage in such behaviour may face restrictions on future treatment at the practice or, in serious cases, refusal of treatment altogether.
If you prefer not to raise your complaint directly with us, you have the right to escalate your concerns to the relevant external regulatory body. Nevertheless, we encourage you to discuss your concerns with us first so that we have the opportunity to resolve them promptly and to improve our service wherever possible.