It is becoming common practice to charge for missed or broken appointments. Many dental offices will charge you a fee if you need to remember or break a dental appointment without giving advance notice. Typically, around 48 – 24 hours’ notice is required for changing or missing your dental appointment. The fee for this depends on the office, so ask the dental office what they charge for missed appointments because it is also essential to note that most insurance companies will not cover this type of charge.

Why do Dentist Charge for Missing Dental Appointments?

Dentists charge for missing appointments because when a patient misses an appointment, it creates an empty slot in the schedule that could have been used for another patient. When you do not show up for your appointment without advance notice (generally 24 hours), it means that the dentist loses potential income from that empty slot, and they still have to pay for the costs associated with running their practice, such as rent, utilities, and staff salaries. By charging for missed appointments, dentists can help ensure that their schedules stay full and that they can continue to provide quality care to their patients. Additionally, charging for missed appointments can encourage patients to be more responsible and respectful of the dentist’s time.