Appointment Deposit Policy
This policy applies to our Royal Victoria practice only. Appointments at our other practices are not affected.
We’ve introduced appointment deposits at Royal Victoria to reduce the number of missed and late-cancelled appointments. When an appointment is missed, that clinical time can’t be offered to another patient who needs it — and waiting times get longer for everyone.
A deposit secures your appointment and is deducted from the cost of your treatment on the day. It isn’t an extra charge.
How much is the deposit?
The amount depends on your appointment type. It comes off your treatment cost on the day.
| Appointment type | Deposit |
|---|---|
| New patient examination | £25 |
| Existing patient check-up | £20 |
| Basic scale | £30 |
| Deluxe scale | £50 |
| Any appointment longer than 30 minutes | £50 minimum |
| Free consultation | £20 (fully refunded — see below) |
Free consultations
Your consultation is free of charge. We ask for a £20 deposit at the time of booking purely to secure your appointment.
If you attend your consultation, your £20 is refunded in full — whether or not you decide to go ahead with treatment. There is no obligation to proceed.
The deposit is only retained if you don’t attend, or cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice.
Changing or cancelling your appointment
We understand that plans change. You can rearrange or cancel your appointment and keep your deposit in full, as long as you give us at least 24 hours’ notice by telephone or email.
If you don’t attend your appointment, or you cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice, your deposit will be forfeited and can’t be refunded. We may ask for a further deposit before booking you a new appointment.
To change or cancel:
Please give us as much notice as you can — the earlier we know, the more likely we can offer your slot to someone else.
How to pay your deposit
01
Secure payment link
Once we’ve confirmed your appointment date and time, we’ll send you a secure payment link by email or text. Payment takes under a minute and your card details are handled by our payment provider, not stored by the practice.
02
Pay by telephone
If you’d prefer to pay by card over the telephone, just tell us when you book and we’ll take it that way instead.
Your deposit is deducted from your treatment cost on the day of your appointment.
Common questions
Is the deposit an additional charge?
No. It’s taken off the cost of your treatment on the day. If your appointment is a free consultation, it’s refunded to you in full when you attend.
What if I need to rearrange?
As long as you give us 24 hours’ notice, your deposit moves with you to your new appointment. Nothing is lost.
What if I'm running late?
Call us as soon as you can. We’ll always try to see you, but if we can’t fit you in and the appointment can’t go ahead, it may be treated as a missed appointment.
Does this apply to my children's appointments?
Yes — the same deposit applies to any appointment booked at our Royal Victoria practice.
Does this apply at your other practices?
No. This policy currently applies to Royal Victoria only.
What if I need to cancel for an emergency?
Please get in touch and let us know. We’ll consider genuine emergencies case by case.
