They're always up to an hour late yet I'm 5 mins late, once, and I get thrown off the books

[Couldonlyhappentome]

How is that right? My dentist has thrown me off the books because I was 5mins late, even though they usually run up to an hour late and were, on the day, running late and I hadn't missed my appointment.

Aibu to be pissed off at this?

It goes for hospital and doctors appointments too, I get threatened with being thrown off the books if I'm late but they are always always running late.

I am usually early for appointments but was late, once, I rang ahead to say I would be late, I accept, yes I was late, but still. Can you tell I'm angry?

[DeadWomanWalking]

YANBU.

[SprinkleLiberally]

Yanbu. Not if you didn't miss your appointment. You caused them no trouble at all. Nor do you make a habit of it.

[EuroShaggleton]

YANBU. Write and complain.

I assume you are an NHS patient and they were looking for an excuse to get you off the books because you are not profitable enough.

[Couldonlyhappentome]

Probably euro I have good teeth, no fillings, no root canals, no need for a hygienist, in and out once a year £17.50 later and that's me done.

I'm going to try find a new, nicer, dentist

[Lottashakingoinon]

Yes I got thrown off for having the cheek to complain repeatedly about the lateness of my previous dentist. If they hadn't been repeatedly late I wouldn't have had to complain.


Worked in my favour though. I joined another practice who are ace. Very often bang on time. On one occasion they were running really late and I couln't hang around any longer so left (all amicable, re booked before I went etc). They haven't stopped apologising yet (about 18 months!) and gave me a whole bag of tooth related goodies at the time. And a month or so ago I clean forgot my appointment! They phoned to check if I was okay, rebooked and when I said 'You've got me bang to rights : I expect I'll be fined' they said 'Oh no, these things happen'.

If you live in my area OP I will be happy to recommend them!

[marriedinwhiteagain]

YANBU. Our doctor's surgery is classic at this. I go rarely and the time before last I was five minutes late because a huge lorry was blocking the entrance to the road (outside their window) and I had to back up and park 250 yards away (we live in London).

When I arrived and apologised the receptionist said "we can see if the doctor is prepared to see you". I said oh, I'll go straight up then as she's waiting. The receptionist then said she had another patient with her and one waiting already. Why did it then matter that I was five minutes late? I asked the question three times and it wasn't answered. Neither was my question "when the dr keeps me waiting more than five minutes shall I decide whether I'm prepared to see her then"?

Bonkers, absolutely bonkers.

[LizzyMcGuire]

My mother charged her dentist £40 when she arrived for an appt they had no record of.

She had the letter telling her about the appointment. They paid up .

[WorraLiberty]

Are you sure it was only 5 minutes?

That's incredibly OTT

[Sparklingbrook]

So you turn up late but they are running late so it makes no difference?

[Lottashakingoinon]

I LOVE your mother Lizzy Good for her!!

[MrsMorton]

NHS patients who need no work are surprisingly profitable for a dentist. As are those who don't pay for their treatment.
You would be right to contact your pct/lhb about this as I wouldn't say it comes under the category of "breakdown in dentist patient relationship" which is the reason we usually use to remove patients. This is folk who habitually miss appointments or are rude etc