Dentist charges

[Dentistquestion]

I had sickness and diarrhoea last week, I phoned on the morning of my dentist appointment with a hygienist and they cancelled the appointment. I called today to re-book, the lady told me I had to pay their cancellation fee, as it was out of their 48 hour cancellation period, I explained I had a sickness bug which started the evening before and called them in the morning, as soon as they opened, but I still have to pay it before they’ll book me in again, which feels a bit unfair because I couldn’t predict I was going to be unwell, but I’m going to have to suck it up and pay it.
Do most dentists have these rules in place? I’ve never cancelled or not turned up to an appointment prior to this.

I don’t know where you live, but none of those places you mentioned, have cancellation fees where I live.
Many places cancel, if their staff are sick, which also costs people time and money.

Many places cancel, if their staff are sick, which also costs people time and money.

What choice do you think they have in that scenario, though? They lose income every time they cancel appointments or are forced to close unexpectedly - they're not exactly doing it for shits and giggles.

You don’t think your dentist gets charged for any appointments they miss? I’m a hygienist and have to pay a deposit for my hair dresser and if I cancel without giving 48 hours notice then I lose that deposit. Why wouldn’t dentists get charged the same? Do you think places ask your profession before charging you things? I’ve never been asked before!

I've lived in different countries in the world, and in different counties in the UK. Perhaps where you are is unusual.

Hopefully, as it is such an unusual policy where you are, you will easily find a new dental practice that follows the norm in your location. (Typo edit)

I’ve never known a hairdresser to take a deposit.
They’ve also cancelled dentist appointments I’ve booked numerous times, I don’t then ask for a discount because I’ve taken time off work unnecessarily, it works both ways.

and I don’t choose to lose money when they cancel my appointment either.

You would have lost a day of work whether the appointment was cancelled or not, though. It's just if you'd attended the appointment, you'd have felt the loss was "worthwhile", as such.

I get it feels unfair but businesses are about money, not morals.

We’ve never cancelled an appointment, except when I had an awful bout of sickness and diarrhoea last week and we’ve been with the practice for about 12 years, but they’ve cancelled about 5 that I have booked.

I find it hard to believe that they couldn’t fill your spot. And as such they shouldn’t then also charge imo. Dentist appts are hard to come by. If I need an emergency appt, I have to ring my dentist, tell them exactly why I need the appt. They then wait for a period so everyone has a chance to call in and they then dish out the limited appts dependent on need. If you are not needy enough compared to the other patients you have to call back the next day….and resort. And I’m private!

TBH next time OP, I’d just show for my appt and let them send you home as they can’t charge then.