Practice address: Cooperage Yard, Sugar House Island, London E15 2QR.
1. Purpose of this policy
This policy explains:
- how deposits work;
- when payments are refundable or non-refundable;
- what happens if appointments or treatment are cancelled.
To keep things clear, we use two different types of deposit:
- Booking Fee – paid to reserve an initial appointment slot;
- Commitment Fee – paid when treatment is agreed and started.
Nothing in this policy affects your statutory rights.
2. Booking Fee (Appointment Deposit)
2.1. What it is
The Booking Fee secures your appointment time and allows the clinic to reserve clinical resources for you.
2.2. When it is paid
At the time of booking an examination or treatment consultation.
2.3. How it is used
The fee is normally credited towards treatment costs if you proceed with treatment.
2.4. Refunds and cancellations
Cancelling with sufficient notice
If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please give us at least 3 business days’ notice.
When sufficient notice is given, you may choose one of the following options:
- transfer your Booking Fee to a new appointment date; or
- receive a refund of your Booking Fee.
Providing early notice allows us to offer the appointment to another patient and avoid unnecessary costs.
Late cancellation or failure to attend
If you cancel with less than 3 business days’ notice, or do not attend your appointment, the Booking Fee may be retained.
This is because:
- clinical time has been reserved exclusively for you;
- dentists, nurses and facilities have been scheduled;
- appointments cancelled at short notice are usually impossible to rebook.
The retained Booking Fee represents a contribution toward genuine losses caused by unused clinical time and preparation.
What counts as “3 business days’ notice”
Business days are Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). The day of your appointment is not included in the notice period. Notice is deemed received when sent to the contact details above, provided you retain proof of sending.
Example: If your appointment is scheduled on Monday, then cancellation must be received by the previous Monday or earlier.
Exceptions (when we may waive charges)
We understand that unexpected situations can happen.
The clinic may, at its discretion, reduce or waive cancellation charges in cases such as:
- medical emergencies;
- serious unforeseen circumstances.
Supporting evidence may be requested.
If the clinic needs to reschedule
If we need to cancel or change your appointment, we will provide as much notice as possible. In any case, your Booking Fee will be transferred to your new appointment or refunded if you prefer. No cancellation charge will apply.
Refunds
Where a refund is due, we will contact you to request the bank account details you would like the refund paid to. Refunds will be made by bank transfer only and will be processed within 10 business days after the required payment details have been provided and verified. For security reasons, refunds will only be made to an account held in the patient’s name (or the original payer’s name where different).
3. Commitment Fee (Treatment Start Deposit)
After your examination, we will provide a treatment plan (and estimate) based on clinical findings. If you decide to proceed, you will be asked to sign a treatment agreement and pay a Commitment Fee.
3.1. What it is
The Commitment Fee confirms your decision to begin treatment and allows the clinic to reserve clinical time, prepare materials and organise treatment scheduling.
3.2. When it is paid
When you agree to proceed with treatment and sign the treatment agreement.
3.3. How it is used
The fee is deducted from the total treatment cost.
3.4. Cooling-Off Period (Commitment Fee)
You have a 3-business day cooling-off period after paying the Commitment Fee, starting from the day after payment. If you cancel during this period, the fee will be refunded.
After this period the Commitment Fee becomes non-refundable, because clinical planning and scheduling begin.
The 3-business-day cancellation period is an additional goodwill right provided by us and does not replace or reduce any statutory cancellation rights that may apply under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.
3.5. Changes to the treatment plan
Dentistry is clinical: the treatment plan (and costs) may change if new findings arise, if you choose different options, or if circumstances change during treatment. We will explain and agree changes with you as appropriate.
3.6. Cancelling treatment before it starts
If you sign a treatment agreement but then cancel before any treatment begins, we will refund amounts paid minus any costs already incurred specifically for your case, which may include:
- laboratory fees or custom-made items already ordered,
- third-party costs,
- reasonable administrative/clinical time spent preparing for treatment (where applicable).
We will provide a clear breakdown on request.
3.7. Cancelling after treatment has started (part-completed treatment)
If you cancel after treatment has started, you will usually need to pay for:
- treatment already provided,
- work in progress and committed costs (including lab items ordered), and
- any other reasonable costs incurred up to the cancellation date.
3.8. Custom-made / laboratory items
Where a dental appliance or restoration is made to your specification (or ordered specifically for you), it may be non-refundable once ordered/started, because it cannot usually be reused for another patient.
3.9. How we calculate the refund due
We will calculate charges based on:
- the stages completed,
- materials/laboratory work already used or ordered,
- clinical time already provided/reserved, and
- what remains outstanding.
If you have paid more than the value of work performed and committed costs, we will refund the difference. If you have paid less, you will need to pay the balance due for work completed/committed.
We will always act reasonably when applying cancellation charges and will not retain sums that exceed our genuine losses.
3.10. Refund method and timing
Where a refund is due, we will contact you to request the bank account details you would like the refund paid to. Refunds will be made by bank transfer only and will be processed within 10 business days after the required payment details have been provided and verified. For security reasons, refunds will only be made to an account held in the patient’s name (or the original payer’s name where different).
4. Your statutory cancellation rights
When the 14-day “cooling-off” right may apply
The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 can give you a right to cancel within 14 days for certain contracts agreed at a distance (e.g., online/phone/email) or off-premises.
Important: The 14-day cancellation right applies where the treatment agreement is entered into at a distance (for example by phone, email or online) or off-premises.
The right does not apply where the agreement is concluded in person at our clinic premises.
Starting services within the 14-day period
If you expressly request and consent to us beginning services during the 14-day cancellation period, you acknowledge that:
- if the services are fully performed within that period, you will lose your statutory right to cancel; and
- if you cancel before the services are fully completed, you will be required to pay an amount proportionate to the services supplied up to the date of cancellation.
How to exercise a statutory cancellation
To cancel within the cooling-off period, you can email or write to us with:
- your name,
- the service/treatment agreement reference (if any),
- the date of agreement, and
- a clear statement that you wish to cancel.
Contact details:
E-mail: service.uk@dentaprime.com, tel: +44 20 3868 9195
Practice address: Cooperage Yard, Sugar House Island, London E15 2QR.
5. Quality of service
We aim to provide services with reasonable care and skill. If we fail to do so, you may have statutory remedies under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, such as:
- the right to require repeat performance, or
- a price reduction (which can be up to a full refund in appropriate cases).
These rights are separate from “change of mind” cancellations.
6. Complaints and resolving concerns
If you have a complaint or concern about charges, cancellations, refunds, or any aspect of the service you have received, please let us know. We operate a formal complaints procedure designed to handle concerns promptly, fairly, and in line with national standards.
How to send a complaint
You can raise your concern by:
- Telephone: +44 20 3868 9195
- Email: service.uk@dentaprime.com
- In person: at our clinic
Complaints should be addressed to our Complaints Coordinator and will be monitored by the practice’s complaints management team.
What we will do
- We will acknowledge receipt of your formal complaint within 3 working days.
- We aim to investigate and respond substantively within 10 working days of receiving your complaint.
- Where appropriate, we may offer an explanation, a meeting, or other resolution steps.
Full terms of our Complaints Policy can be found at the following link:
https://www.dentaprime.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Complaints-Policy-1.pdf
7. Examples (for clarity)
- Example A: You cancel an examination appointment with 7 days’ notice → you receive a refund (or transfer the fee).
- Example B: You start a treatment plan and we have already ordered a bespoke lab item → refund may exclude the lab fee.
- Example C: You agreed treatment by email/phone and asked us to begin within 14 days → if you cancel during the 14 days, you may owe a proportionate amount for work done.
