Terms and Conditions

Last Updated: October 2025

Introduction

Welcome to Helsby Dental Surgery’s website. These Terms and Conditions govern your use of our website and the services we provide. By accessing or using our website, you agree to be bound by these terms.

Practice Details:

  • Name: Helsby Dental Surgery
  • Address: 208 Chester Road, Helsby, Frodsham, Cheshire WA6 0AW
  • Phone: 01928 722521
  • Email: info@helsbydental.co.uk

Acceptance of Terms

By using our website or booking an appointment with us, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, please do not use our website or services.

Services Provided

Helsby Dental Surgery provides dental healthcare services including but not limited to:

  • General dentistry
  • Preventative dental care
  • Cosmetic dentistry
  • Dental hygiene services
  • Emergency dental treatment
  • Specialist referrals

All dental services are provided in accordance with professional standards set by the General Dental Council (GDC) and comply with NHS and private healthcare regulations.

Patient Registration and Appointments

Registration

To become a patient at Helsby Dental Surgery, you must:

  • Complete our registration forms accurately and honestly
  • Provide valid identification and contact information
  • Disclose your complete medical and dental history
  • Inform us of any changes to your medical conditions or medications

It is important that we keep up-to-date information about you, your medical history, and other relevant areas. To save time when you visit the practice, you can complete your forms online before your appointment. This enables you to complete these forms in the comfort of your own home.

Appointments

  • Appointments must be booked in advance through phone, email, or our online booking system
  • Please arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment time
  • If you need to cancel or reschedule, please inform us at least 24 hours prior to your appointment time
  • This allows us to utilise this time appropriately and offer the appointment to other patients
  • Failure to attend appointments without notice may result in a cancellation fee or removal from our patient list
  • Emergency appointments are subject to availability

Cancellation Policy

Our Practice Policy regarding cancellations and non-attendance is as follows:

  • More than 24 hours notice: No charge – please contact us to reschedule
  • Less than 24 hours notice (short notice cancellation): £50.00 cancellation charge applies
  • Missed appointments (no-show): £50.00 cancellation charge applies
  • Repeated missed appointments or short notice cancellations: May result in removal from our patient register

Important Notice: Non-attendance and short notice cancellations deprive other patients of essential dental treatment, especially during these unprecedented times. If you cannot attend your appointment, please inform us at least 24 hours prior to your appointment time so we can offer this valuable appointment slot to another patient in need of dental care.

The £50.00 short notice cancellation charge is payable before your next appointment can be scheduled.

Payment Terms

NHS Patients

  • NHS charges apply as set by NHS England
  • Payment is required at the time of treatment or as agreed
  • NHS exemption certificates must be valid and presented at the time of treatment
  • False claims for NHS exemption may result in penalties

Private Patients

  • Treatment estimates will be provided before commencing any work
  • Payment is due upon completion of treatment unless otherwise agreed in writing
  • We accept cash, debit cards, credit cards, and bank transfers
  • Payment plans may be available for extensive treatment (subject to approval)

Insurance Patients

  • We work with various dental insurance providers
  • You are responsible for understanding your insurance coverage
  • Any costs not covered by insurance are your responsibility
  • Payment of the excess or uncovered portion is required at time of treatment

Outstanding Payments

  • Failure to pay outstanding balances may result in:
    • Suspension of further treatment
    • Removal from our patient register
    • Referral to debt collection agencies
    • Legal action to recover debts

Clinical Care and Professional Standards

Consent to Treatment

  • We will explain all treatment options, risks, and costs before proceeding
  • You must provide informed consent before treatment begins
  • You have the right to refuse treatment
  • For patients under 16, parental or guardian consent may be required

Clinical Records

  • We maintain accurate clinical records as required by law
  • Records are kept confidential in accordance with our Privacy Policy
  • Records are retained for the periods specified in our Privacy Policy

Dental Professionals

  • All our dental professionals are registered with the General Dental Council
  • We maintain appropriate professional indemnity insurance
  • Continuing professional development is undertaken regularly

Patient Responsibilities

As a patient, you agree to:

  • Provide accurate and complete medical and dental history information
  • Inform us immediately of any changes to your health, medications, or contact details
  • Follow post-treatment care instructions provided by our dental professionals
  • Attend appointments as scheduled or provide adequate notice of cancellation
  • Behave respectfully towards our staff and other patients
  • Pay for treatments as agreed
  • Inform us of any concerns about your treatment promptly

Website Use

Acceptable Use

You agree to use our website only for lawful purposes and in a way that does not:

  • Infringe on the rights of others
  • Restrict or inhibit anyone else’s use of the website
  • Transmit harmful or offensive content
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
  • Interfere with the proper functioning of the website

Online Booking System

  • Information provided through our online booking system must be accurate
  • You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any login credentials
  • Unauthorized use of another person’s account is prohibited
  • We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms

Intellectual Property

All content on this website, including text, images, logos, and software, is owned by Helsby Dental Surgery or our licensors and is protected by UK and international copyright laws. You may not:

  • Reproduce, distribute, or modify any content without our written permission
  • Use our branding or trademarks without authorization
  • Extract data from our website through automated means

Information Accuracy

While we strive to ensure all information on our website is accurate and up-to-date:

  • We cannot guarantee the completeness or accuracy of all information
  • Dental information provided is for general guidance only and does not constitute medical advice
  • You should not rely on website information as a substitute for professional dental consultation
  • We reserve the right to update or change information without notice

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites for your convenience. We are not responsible for:

  • The content or privacy practices of external websites
  • Any transactions you enter into with third parties
  • The accuracy or reliability of third-party information

Links to third-party websites do not constitute an endorsement of those sites or their content.

Complaints Procedure

If you have a complaint about our services:

  1. Informal Resolution: Speak directly with the dental professional or practice manager
  2. Formal Complaint: Submit a written complaint to our practice manager at the address above
  3. Response Timeline: We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and provide a full response within 10 working days
  4. Further Action: If you remain dissatisfied, you may contact:
    • General Dental Council (GDC): www.gdc-uk.org
    • NHS England (for NHS treatment): www.england.nhs.uk
    • Care Quality Commission: www.cqc.org.uk
    • Dental Complaints Service (for private treatment): www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

  • We do not exclude or limit liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence
  • We do not exclude liability for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
  • We are not liable for any indirect, consequential, or incidental damages
  • Our liability for any claim arising from dental treatment is limited to the amount paid for that specific treatment
  • We are not liable for website downtime, technical errors, or loss of data

Emergency Situations

If you experience a dental emergency outside our opening hours:

  • For life-threatening emergencies, call 999
  • For urgent dental problems, contact NHS 111
  • Emergency contact information is available on our website and answerphone message

Data Protection and Privacy

Your personal information is processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy and UK data protection laws. By using our services, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in our Privacy Policy.

Professional Indemnity

We maintain professional indemnity insurance as required by the General Dental Council to cover our professional liabilities.

Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

Changes to Terms and Conditions

We reserve the right to modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to our website. Your continued use of our website and services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the modified terms.

We recommend reviewing these terms periodically to stay informed of any updates.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms and Conditions will not be deemed a waiver of such right or provision.

Contact Information

For questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us:

Helsby Dental Surgery

  • Address: 208 Chester Road, Helsby, Frodsham, Cheshire WA6 0AW
  • Phone: 01928 722521
  • Email: info@helsbydental.co.uk

By using our website and services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.