Terms of Service
We will always provide the best service that we can to our patients. The following sections provide further clarity on our terms and conditions of service. If you have any queries, please email us on manager@gentledentalcaregroup.co.uk
Website
We do not guarantee that our site, or any content on it, will be free from errors or omissions and may be out-of-date at any given time including personnel and practice changes or information. We will not be liable to you if for any reason our website is unavailable at any time or for any period.
Please be aware that any information provided through any part of our website is provided for interest purposes only and does not constitute personalised professional advice. For personal professional dental advice, we strongly recommend that you see a dentist for consultation.
Treatment Plans
After a treatment plan has been agreed, we will typically provide a printed estimate or treatment plan, which we will ask that you read through thoroughly, and sign only once you have fully read and understood the care plan.
If there are any points on your treatment plan that you wish to query this should be done before any appointments for treatment are scheduled as on confirming the treatment plan, you are agreeing that you have had the opportunity to ask any questions, review your treatment options, alternatives, understand the intended plan, along with their individual risks, benefits and the associated fees.
If the clinical plan needs to be changed due to x-ray or clinical findings, we will inform you and discuss this with you fully prior to proceeding.
Treatment plans are valid for 14 days from the date the treatment was prescribed, and plans started after this point may need review and additional re-planning at further fee prior to delivery.
Please note our sites at 126 High Street, 391 Wickham Road and 149 Shirley Road are fully private practices.
Consent
Certain dental and medical treatments will require us to complete a written consent form.
We work to strict governing guidelines in order to ensure that the patient and/or legal guardian is fully aware of the treatment, aftercare and any risk before any treatment is carried out.
Fees
We require pre-payment and deposits to secure booking of appointments; however, this does not apply to NHS appointments or practice plan (Denplan) appointments. We do not operate a credit system and we require fees to be settled at the appointment where treatment is provided. Where treatment incurs laboratory fees, the full fee will be required at the impression stage of the appointment. If a refund is required we reserve the right to deduct any transactional fees which may apply.
Fees for treatment under sedation must be settled prior to appointment, as we legally cannot accept payments after treatment delivery where patients may still be under the influence of the sedative.
The Gentle Dental Care Group does offer finance agreements on treatments over £300 in association through a third party for patients depending on the clinical case. In cases where treatment is paid for by finance through a finance company, the finance agreement must be accepted and signed prior to the start of that treatment, including waiting for the period that the cooling offer period may apply.
Patients registered to us with Denplan must see their terms and conditions for treatments under contract. All corporate and external insurance holders must pay for their treatment at the time of treatment, then claim for reimbursement from their provider.
The Gentle Dental Care Group does not accept any payments by cheque.
The Gentle Dental Care Group reserves the right to recover the costs of debts associated with treatment or time booked and appointment cancellation at short notice with a dental professional with a 20% surcharge in addition to any fees from a debt recovery agency which may accrue.
Gocardless payments – if a payment is missed and isn’t collected on the day a £20 additional automatic late payment fee will be added to the account and if cancelled by accident, or for any reason prior to the full balance agreed collected by gocardless a £200 fee will be levied and the debt including the additional £200 will be passed to a debt collection agency and further debt collection agency fees will be incurred.
Late cancellations or failure to attend
Failure to attend appointments or arriving late for appointments may mean we’re unable to provide further appointments even if you are starting, part way through, or even almost finishing your treatment without any refund or fees due back to yourself in lieu of time.
If for any reason a transaction is queried, stopped or a payment reversed after it’s been paid or after work has been carried out, an additional £60 will be added to the account alongside any third party fees to recover monies due. This does not apply to refunds or cancellations within our cancellation period.
Lateness for appointments
Please let us know if you are running late for any booked appointment. In the event that you may be more than 5 minutes late, you may be asked to reschedule.
We will aim to complete as much treatment as possible during your appointment if time allows. However, we may have to finish on time as a courtesy to our booked patients that day and our clinicians.
Appointments where patients are delayed, that do not have sufficient time remaining, maybe rescheduled at further dates possibly incurring fees, and additional visits may be required.
Guarantee
At The Gentle Dental Care Group our ceramic veneers, crowns, implants and permanent fillings are guaranteed for a period of twelve months following placement, provided that the following conditions are met:
- The patient has fully paid for the treatment and does not owe the practice any money for the treatment received
- The veneers, crowns, implants have not been damaged as a result of neglect, an accident, trauma or excessive grinding
- The patient has followed all maintenance and hygiene recommendations made by our dentists.
- No treatment is guaranteed for more than 1 year. This is not because we expect the treatment to last only one year but if there was a fault in the componentry or materials this would be manifest within a shorter period of time and be rectified as required.
- Dental implants have a lifetime parts guarantee as the componentry we use is premium and will be replaced by the company without fee. This, however, does not include fees for the dentists or laboratory time, which will be charged on a case-by-case basis.
- Some treatments may have a guarantee of less than 1 year and where this is the case, the treating clinician will inform you.
Dentures
Although many patients get used to dentures, some are unable to tolerate them due to bulkiness and or retention issues. Dentures are an option to replace teeth but you cannot expect to eat like you did when you had a full set of healthy functional teeth. If you would like a better outcome, you should seriously consider implant options now or at a later date.
Often there are permanent or transient speech changes as a result of dentures, which can take significant time to adapt with some patients struggling and being unable to adapt to the change.
Once the dentures are delivered, there may be adjustments to refine the fit of the dentures.
Unfortunately, there will be a small percentage of patients who are unable to tolerate dentures. If this is the case there will not be refund of the fee for the works completed
Personal Details
It is important that you provide a full and accurate medical history with details of any medications that you may be taking. It is also a requirement that we have your correct contact details on the system.
Should these change it is very important for you to tell your dentist and the reception team.
Whilst we will ask and try to keep all information updated on each visit, it is the patient’s responsibility to inform the clinic of any changes in either personal details and/or their medical history.
All records are kept in accordance with strict Data Protection guidelines.
Use of Images & X-rays
The Gentle Dental Care Group may use images and x-rays of your smile and teeth only for educational purposes, for our website, promotional and educational literature. Your name will never be published and your identity will never be disclosed.
We ensure we receive permission prior to using any media, however if you do not wish for us to use your images and x-rays in this way please inform us.
Data Protection Act
All patient details are stored on a secure computer system in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
All clinical notes, radiographs (x-rays), photographs are the property of The Gentle Dental Care Group.
Copies of notes, radiographs (x-rays) and 3D Scans (CBCT) can be made available on written request and we reserve the right to charge an administration fee for these.
All staff undergo Data Protection training and understand the importance of information handling.
Contact
We like to keep you updated about pending appointments so we will send reminders, via calls, emails, SMS (text message) or post. If you would prefer that we did not contact you by any one or other reminder system please ensure you inform reception during your next visit. We do this to minimise your late cancellations and failure to attend, which has a direct impact on the use of our service and on-going registration.
Rest assured we do not use your details for anything else and will not pass on your information to third parties.
Feedback & Complaints
At The Gentle Dental Care Group our aim is to ensure all of our patients are happy with their experience with us, and we welcome feedback to improve the service.
Any service compliant is always taken sincerely as we want to ensure that every patient has a great experience with us.
Feedback or complaints can be sent to us via our reception teams or via email.
Every complaint will receive acknowledgment within 5 working days, and the management will strive to resolve the complaint within a quick, reasonable period of time (usually about 2 weeks).
For our full complaints policy, please ask a member of our reception team.
Positive patient relationship
Gentle Dental Care Group values fostering positive and trusting relationships with all patients. Should any clinician within any practice feel that such a relationship has irrevocably broken down, or that trust can no longer be maintained, they reserve the right to decline further treatment for that patient across the group of practices.
Attire and Personal Property
Patients are advised to wear appropriate attire for dental appointments and treatments. Garments may be exposed to dental materials, fluids, or chemicals during procedures.
Gentle Dental Care Group and its affiliated practices shall not be held liable for any damage, staining, or soiling of a patient’s clothing or personal effects that may occur during routine dental care or treatments. This includes, but is not limited to, damage caused by dental materials, chemicals, fluids, or equipment used during appointments.
Patients are strongly encouraged to wear comfortable and practical clothing for dental procedures. Gentle Dental Care Group recommends avoiding expensive, delicate, or irreplaceable garments when attending dental appointments.
Gentle Dental Care Group disclaims any responsibility or liability for cleaning, repairing, or replacing any garments or personal items that may be affected during dental visits or treatments, regardless of the cause or circumstances of such damage.
By scheduling and attending an appointment at any Gentle Dental Care Group facility, patients acknowledge and accept these terms regarding attire and personal property.
Zero Tolerance / Abuse policy
We operate a zero-tolerance policy to abuse of the dental team, drunken or disorderly behaviour, persistent missing and late cancellation of appointments (3 appointments in any period).
In such situations The Gentle Dental Care Group reserves the right to refuse treatment and admission to the practice.
Applicable law
These terms and conditions, its subject matter, its formation and the content of this website are governed by English law whose Courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction.
Contact us
To contact us, please e-mail: manager@gentledentalcaregroup.co.uk
