When your Dr/ Dentist cancels appointment last minute

If I happen to miss a dentist appointment and don't reschedule in 24 hours I am charged a $30 fee.
I've paid it once or twice over the years.

So today I go in, and no dentist, he was very sick and cancelled all appointments last minute. Should I bill them for my time?
They gave me less than 1 hours notice.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Your time is worth something, isn't it.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Maybe you could bargain against another charge if You happen to be late again. I wouldn't antagonize my dentist, cardiologist or proctologist ...... if you get my meaning...

a reply to: butcherguy

My time is valuable of course, but I also don't want to encourage a dentist with the flu coming in and coughing all over us either, so this is a hard one.

a reply to: Plotus

That is a great thought, maybe if I ever miss again I will bring it up!

Cordiality always trumps hostility...

Maybe you can work out a discount on your next bill worth the time you lost?

Dentist greeting patient; "You should have been here yesterday."
Patient; "Why, what happened?"
Dentist; "That's when your appointment was".

True story as reported by my mother, who was the patient.

Tell him you want a $30 credit on your next bill

originally posted by: JAGStorm
If I happen to miss a dentist appointment and don't reschedule in 24 hours I am charged a $30 fee.
I've paid it once or twice over the years.

So today I go in, and no dentist, he was very sick and cancelled all appointments last minute. Should I bill them for my time?
They gave me less than 1 hours notice.

Yeah, I get what you are saying. I hate when my Dr. is running behind and late. My time is valuable too. However, I'd guess that more patients cancel on Dentists / Doctors than the other way around hence why the fee is charged.

a reply to: Bluntone22

It sucks even more if you had to take a day off or re-arrange your work schedule.

Here in Georgia, doctors and dentists are pretty much 9 to 5, maybe 5 days a week. Some dentists have 1 late night or occasional weekend. In NJ, my old dentist was open 7 days a week.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: Plotus

That is a great thought, maybe if I ever miss again I will bring it up!

I'd keep it in your back pocket. Take it one step further by writing down the date and time of your appointment on a Post-It note or something of the sort so you have a higher level of detail in case they want to play hard ball

a reply to: peter_kandra

The south is the worst when it comes to Dr. or Dentist appointments. I once had a Dr. appointment for my daughter, we waited an hour. I went to the receptionist and asked when we would be seen and was told "I couldn't just waltz in there and be seen right away!" (this was in Florida, surprise surprise)

Us Yanks are impatient, when we have an appointment for a certain time we don't think of it as an estimate!

originally posted by: JAGStorm
If I happen to miss a dentist appointment and don't reschedule in 24 hours I am charged a $30 fee.
I've paid it once or twice over the years.

So today I go in, and no dentist, he was very sick and cancelled all appointments last minute. Should I bill them for my time?
They gave me less than 1 hours notice.

Superglue works apparently...

No... on second thoughts... do not use superglue for your teeth... For your dentists doorbell yes...

Kindest respects

Lags

My dentist has that sign up, but he didn't charge the time that we missed an appointment.

What are the possible outcomes? You could get $30 and have to find a new dentist. Or you could have him tell you that he no longer wants your business. Or he could have a sense of humor about it and you both chuckle.

I want to say to bill him. However if you look at it from the other side, you have 1 appointment. The dentist has 30-40 appointments. If you are sick and call them, they will typically just say to reschedule. And do you want him breathing into your open mouth if he's got the plague?

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: JAGStorm
If I happen to miss a dentist appointment and don't reschedule in 24 hours I am charged a $30 fee.
I've paid it once or twice over the years.

So today I go in, and no dentist, he was very sick and cancelled all appointments last minute. Should I bill them for my time?
They gave me less than 1 hours notice.

Superglue works apparently...

No... on second thoughts... do not use superglue for your teeth... For your dentists doorbell yes...

Kindest respects

Lags

Ha! My old dad had false teeth. He used superglue to fix one of his teeth once.

but this all reminds me of a seinfeld episode.

a reply to: fritzM

I was charged for a missed appointment previously, and I had an excellent excuse (emergency surgery) but I paid it because I understand their business side of it. I just think they should follow the same rules they are setting out.
If they require a patient to give 24 hours notice, they should give patients the same respect. Less than 1 hours notice is never acceptable.

I also have other appointments, so by going to his and him not being there it was a waste of my time, gas, and my other appointments. I've never run into this before because the other dental offices i've been to have had multiple dentist, however this one only has one guy. I see the problem with that now and I am probably going to switch.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
Less than 1 hours notice is never acceptable.

I also have other appointments, so by going to his and him not being there it was a waste of my time, gas, and my other appointments. I've never run into this before because the other dental offices i've been to have had multiple dentist, however this one only has one guy. I see the problem with that now and I am probably going to switch.

I agree, 1 hour notice is not acceptable. If you are the first appointment, I can understand how it can happen though.

My dentist office has just the 1 dentist. But I like the way he works and I have made the decision to stay there even though he's had some health issues lately. But I know that if he has problems, there's nobody else that can see me at that office. There are trade offs. They know me when I come in. They know my family. They will work with me on billing and other stuff. I won't get the same personal service at a bigger place.

Illness happens.....and I'd like to think they could call.
I have gotten calls the morning of my appt.

WORSE is when you are sitting in the waiting room....no one says anything....and it's an hour...two or more and you are stewing.
The staff cannot tell you what is wrong....Dr. is stuck in traffic....Dr. had an emergency at the hospital and will be 2 hours late getting here?
That is worse.

I have quit doctors for that!!!!!

You should sue them for making you that mad.