Because of the amounts of no-shows that we have dealt with over the past year, we have decided to require that patients put down a non-refundable deposit for their dental work. Usually it is for appointments that last over an hour. This is because by the time we realize a patient isn't going to show for their appointment, usually by 15 minutes after the appointment time, it is too late to give the appointment to someone else. Even if we don't have a patient in that appointment spot, the dentist still has to pay the utilities and the staff. Making patients pay a deposit of 1/3 of the cost of the appointment, usually ensures that they won't "no-show" for their appointment, as they don't want to forfit that non-refundable deposit, and will make certain they show up for their appointment. Of course, if an unavoidable emergency happened, we would take that into consideration.
Some patients are getting angry over this, and refuse to pay a deposit. Would you be understanding of this?
2007-11-05 12:34:38 · 6 answers · asked by Pink Cowgirl 4 in Health ➔ Dental
Country mom and anyone else who might feel the same way: Before you are so quick to think that way, I just want you to look at it from this point of view. I don't know what you do for a living, but what if your job depended upon customers or clients and if they didn't show up for appointments scheduled with you, then you didn't make any money. Or what if you were the employer and even though customers or clients didn't show up for an appointment, you still had to pay your staff. Is a dentist supposed to not pay his staff, just because a patient doesn't show up for their appointment? I have bills of my own to pay and children to support and I certainly wouldn't think it would be fair for my dentist to not pay me just because a patient didn't show up for their appointment.
If a patient has every intention of showing up for their appointments, then they woudn't have to worry about loosing this deposit or about "finding another dentist".
2007-11-05 12:48:43 · update #1
First Lady: I'm glad you brought that up, because there are many patients just like you, who are not really aware what the reason is that many dentists run behind. Did you realize that when a patient is late, even by only 15-20 minutes, that it causes the dentist to run behind on all his other patients by that amount of time?? Take a couple of patients a day who are late, and what do you have? You have YOU having to wait up to 30 mintutes for YOUR appointment. Don't be so quick to blame us, when in fact it is because of other patients before you who couldn't be bothered to show up on time. Do you think we enjoy working through lunch or late at the end of the day? Do you think we do that to ourselves on purpose? What are we supposed to do, tell these late patients "Too bad. We can't see you today. You were late." ? Then we would have patients mad over that, saying thats not fair, they couldn't help it. Dont assume its always our fault when we are running behind.
2007-11-05 12:52:51 · update #2
it's a good approach. we have the same problem in our office. we haven't done what you are doing yet but it should be done. You are taking up time that someone else could have had that needed to get in.
2007-11-05 12:38:35 · answer #1 · answered by sweet 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I usually only have these kind of failures from patients that are phobic. I send them a letter that future "no shows" or cancellations less than 24 hours in advance will result in a fee that is the price of the appointment. My phobic patient's attendance has improved or they go somewhere else. There aren't too many dentists in my are with the patience to deal with phobic patients. I'm so busy, I don't notice the attrition
2007-11-05 22:39:10 · answer #2 · answered by Helen DDS 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No I don't think it is a bad idea..I had an appointment to get two wisdom teeth pulled and the person before me didn't show up and I still had to wait for like an hour because they had planned for doing different stuff..Say deposits are a good idea!!
2007-11-05 21:01:13 · answer #3 · answered by Mrs.D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I wouldn't be understanding of that. How many of these patients' appts. are on time? How long are the patients having to wait past their appt time to be seen? Maybe your office is different, but I've never been to a dentist appt where I was seen at my appt time. Most of the time, I've had to wait at least 30 minutes past my time. I did my part by being there on time. What about my time? Doctors and dentists don't respect their patients time, so why should patients be overly concerned about their dr's or dentists time? Respect goes both ways.
2007-11-05 20:44:48 · answer #4 · answered by First Lady 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I would understand. People need to realize that other people's time is as valuable as their own.
2007-11-05 20:43:03 · answer #5 · answered by mentinke21 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
NO WAY! I would find another dentist.
2007-11-05 20:39:06 · answer #6 · answered by Lil lady 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋