Is it usual for school to ban time off for dentist and GP?

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

School has an attendance / lateness problem and as a result have said they won't authorise absences for dentist and GP in school hours.
I am quite happy to TRY to get appointments after school but given you can't always get the time you want I am buggered if I will make them wait for treatment rather than miss a lesson. AIBU?

Dd's school tried to insist her hospitals apps were at 10 am rather than 8.30 am. That would mean dd would miss 90 minutes of school in travelling time. An 8.30 app would result in only 45 mins travelling time.
I refused to have my dd miss more of her GSCE lessons just so the school looked good in their attendance records.

Of you add on the 30 min registration at 8.45 that is a whole hour and a half extra lessons missed by having a 10 am appointment.

Ds(11) and I have never had time off school/work for our dental checkups. Always have appointments after 5pm booked in advance. Never realised before how fortunate we are our dentist does this.