BE PREPARED to forfeit an $8 deposit fee if you are a no-show at
your next dental appointment with a National Healthcare Group (NHG)
dental clinic.
Since last month, NHG has put in place the measure in a bid to
weed out patients who default on their date with the dentist.
Over the past year, the NHG said four out of 10 patients failed
to keep their appointments with its five dental clinics here,
wasting slots that could have gone to other patients who need
them.
It is a similar situation for the four dental clinics run by
SingHealth. Three in 10 patients failed to turn up for their
appointments last year, a spokesman said, but she added that it
will not be implementing the cash deposit system.
Both NHG and SingHealth dental clinics offer subsidised services
such as tooth extraction and fillings.
These clinics operate on an appointment basis only; walk-in
cases are also attended to but only after the patients with
appointments have been seen.
--ST