Terms and Conditions of Treatment at Brisbane Smiles
All patients of Brisbane Smiles are required to agree to our Terms and Conditions of Treatment. If you are unsure or have any questions regarding the terms and conditions, then please contact our practice staff to discuss your questions and concerns before accepting a treatment plan or commencing treatment.
Privacy
Privacy is important and is governed by the Practice Privacy Policy. For privacy of our staff and practice, and safety to avoid interference with our equipment, we require all recording devices, including phones, tablets, laptops, video cameras to be turned off in the surgeries. Communication regarding patient treatment and appointments can only be made with the patient or guardian and it is our policy to not respond to treatment related matters via email. For treatment related matters, direct consultation with our Dentists is required face to face.
Charter of Patient Rights
The Brisbane Smiles Charter of Patient Rights relates to patient access, respect, communication, participation, privacy and comment. View our Charter of Patient Rights.
Appointment Confirmation
Brisbane Smiles provides patients with appointments to meet individual treatment needs, and we appreciate patients notifying the practice as soon as possible when agreed appointment times cannot be met. Appointment times and length of appointment, and on certain days, are reserved just for the patient, and cannot be reassigned to other treatments or another person. Once a time has been reserved in our system, it is reserved for you and the assigned treatment unless you notify us otherwise. Whilst we usually message to remind you prior to an appointment, if you do not receive a message or call from us to remind you, this does not constitute a reason for your non-attending an appointment.
If an appointment is not confirmed, the appointment may be rescheduled without notice.
General Appointments are confirmed 2 business days ahead, and Major Appointments are confirmed 1 week ahead or cancellation fees may apply if times cannot be filled by other patients.
Appointment Cancellation
For Standard Appointments, there are no cancellation fees in instances when 2 business days notice is given. If you are sick or ill (including any covid symptoms) then please let the practice know as soon as possible to avoid any cancellation or missed appointment fees. Doctors confirmation may be required to avoid any fees.
‘Late Cancellations’ occur if less than 2 days notice of cancellation is given prior to the appointment time. The late cancellation fee is $100 for appointments less than 2 hours and $250 for appointment of 2 hours or greater. Any deposits or account credits may be forfeited or used towards the late cancellation fee. Two or more late cancellations will require a 100% appointment fee as a non-refundable pre-payment before booking future appointments. Any professional discounts or package discounts will be forfeited in the instance of 2 or more late cancellations. Additional cancellation fees may apply for Medical Anaesthetist and other external providers as per their policies.
For Major Appointments, there are no cancellation fees in instances when 5 business days notice is given excluding Doctor confirmed sickness or illness. Late cancellations of less than 5 business days will receive a fee of $150 per hour of scheduled appointment unless the practice and lab is able to schedule another patient into the time allocated.
Missed Appointments
Missed Appointments occur when a scheduled appointment is not attended by the patient. All appointments are considered firm regardless of confirmation in the leadup to the appointment.
For Standard Appointments, If an appointment is missed, a missed appointment fee for $100 for appointments under 2 hours, or $300 for appointments of 2 hours or longer will apply. Any professional discounts or package discounts will be forfeited in the instance of 2 or more missed appointments. Any deposits may be forfeited or used towards the missed appointment fee.
If a patient has a missed appointment, the practice may decide to offer appointments on the same day only, meaning appointments will by available only on the same day as booking. Or the practice may require a full non-refundable pre-payment before booking any future appointments. Or, at the practice’s discretion, the treating relationship with the patient may also be ended meaning no future appointments offered. If the treating relationship has been ended by the practice, the practice will provide full co-operation to transfer the patients records to the patients new dental practice subject to payment of all outstanding accounts and any missed appointment fees.
For Major Appointments, If an appointment is missed, a missed appointment fee of $150 per hour will apply. Any professional discounts or package discounts will be forfeited in the instance of 2 or more missed appointments. Any deposits may be forfeited or used towards the missed appointment fee.
Multiple Missed Appointments, If it is determined that missed appointments are such that the success of the treatment is jeopardised, we may choose to terminate the treatment before its completion to avoid potential damage. Such conditions include three missed appointments or a 1-month delay in attending an appointment. If we continue with treatment despite delays, additional fees may apply to accommodate the repeat of steps, repair or remake of fractured restorations, unforeseen complications, and updates in materials, lab costs, and fees.
Professional Fees
Our practice is committed to providing our patients with the best treatment outcomes and we charge what is usual and customary for the service. You will be informed of fee estimates before treatment commences. It is your responsibility to discuss any financial concerns before your treatment is commenced. All fees are considered an estimate until such time treatment is performed and additional fees may occur throughout treatment. Treatment Estimates are valid for 45 days from time of treatment estimate and are not able to be negotiated. Any professional discounts or packages will be forfeited in the instance of late cancellation or missed appointments.
Our practice utilises the Hicaps/Tyro system to process Health Fund Claims on the spot at the time of your appointment, and the remainder will become your full immediate responsibility. We accept payment for our services by cash, hicaps, eftpos, Visa, Mastercard, Amex, direct transfer, cheque. Payment via Direct Bank Transfer must be made three days in advance of payment due date and must be received in the practice’s account prior to treatment.
Treatment will not proceed should invoices not be paid at the time of treatment. Any Gap Payments or Shortfalls due to Health Fund non-approval of claims need to be paid on the day of treatment, and a receipt will be provided for patient to claim back direct from the Health Fund. The relationship between you and your health fund is between you and them. We have no association with any health insurer, and their terms and conditions and the level of rebate you receive from them is a matter between you and them. The ADA and AMA recommend reviewing your health fund arrangement annually and one comparison service we recommend to our patients is Fair Health Care Alliance.
You will receive an invoice at the time of treatment and payment is due immediately.
Unpaid Invoices after 30 days will be referred to a debt collection agency, and if we do so you must pay any costs that we incur in connection with the recovery of the unpaid invoice including the agency’s fees, any legal fees and interest. The practice may decide to end the treating relationship with all family members.
Complex Treatment
Complex treatments are those which involve Treatment Plans over $10,000. Pre-payment deposits may be required before appointments are reserved. Payments will be required as scheduled and appointments will be cancelled if payments are not made on time. In this instance, pre-payment deposits will be forfeited.
Deposits will cover any laboratory preparation work and are non-refundable upon laboratory work commencing.
Once the preparation of teeth for Crown, Veneers, Implant Crown and Bridges (work)is commenced, the laboratory will immediately commence creation of the work for insertion. There can be no refund for work after preparation has commenced, regardless of whether the work is inserted or not. The Insertion Appointment would account for 10% of the cost and will be forfeited if you do not return for the scheduled insert appointment. Work may need to be remade in the laboratory if insertion is more than 3 months after the preparation appointment for crowns, veneers or bridges on teeth and this will incur additional fees of approximately 50-100% of the work.
As multiple appointments are involved, and in instances that other Medical Professionals are involved in the appointments: late appointment cancellation or missed appointments can have large fees and be subject to terms and conditions of the other Medical Professional.
Aesthetic Treatment
Aesthetic Treatment requires a structured approach to achieve a result that suits each individual. Throughout the process our team will engage with you to customise your smile to match and suit your needs. In most instances if you change your mind after treatment and would like to make changes or adjustments, or completely redo the work, then this is complex and requires complete replacement at a cost to you.
Our Dentists are trained to acheive optimal aesthetics AND function. We will engage with you throughout each step to ensure all possible options and customising is achieved, however there may be functional and anatomical limitations that may prevent certain aesthetic requests.
Aesthetic treatment includes one design and one redesign, and provisionals, and one set of definitive restorations. Additional designs, provisionals, or final restorations are not included. Wearing a nightguard occlusal splint as planned is essential to protect your teeth and restorations.
Different individuals will have different aesthetic preferences and it is important to carefully choose a Dentist who you feel comfortable before proceeding with Aesthetic Treatment.
Dental Implant Treatment
Dental Implant Treatment requires a multi-disciplined approach result that suits each individual. Throughout the process our team will engage with you to customise your treatment to match and suit your needs. In most instances if you change your mind after treatment and would like to make changes or adjustments, or completely redo the work, then this is complex and requires complete replacement at a cost to you.
Our Dentists are trained to acheive optimal health and function. Dental Implants will function different to natural teeth. They will feel different to teeth. The more implants and less teeth, the more differnet this will feel. Contours need to be different, and this is something that some patients will never get entirely use to. The alternative to Dental Implants are Dentures or Bridges (in cases of single teeth implants).
Dental Implant survival is often reported as whether the implant remains in the mouth, not a measure of how great it performs. Implants can fail, and often this is related to medical conditions, poor gum health, smoking or vaping or grinding (bruxism). Attending routine exam and clean appointments ongoing is important for implant survival.
Dental Implant Treatment requires a minimum 3 month osseointegration period before the final corwn/bridges are inserted, and you may have no teeth throughout this phase. Immediate loading with temporary teeth is considered to increase risk of failure of bone to osseointegrate with the implant. To increase success rates we recommend no temporary restorations. Dental Implants may require revision or replacement in the future.
Denture Treatment
Denture Treatment requires multiple appointments to fabricate the denture. Throughout the process our team will engage with you to customise your smile to match and suit your needs, and as each step progresses, so does your denture teeth. After the denture is inserted the design cannot be changed and any chages you would like will require a new denture.
Immediate Dentures are made to insert at the same time that teeth are extracted. Immediate dentures are considered to be temporay provisional dentures which will be replaced in the 6-12 months following the extractions. Design and shapes can then be made and tried in wax.
Dentures will need ongoing relines and replacements at additional costs.
Warranty
Our Warranty and Guarantee is to provide high quality dentistry.
General Warranty: Where material failure occurs within the first 12 months then we will assess and undertake to assist with correcting the concern where failure of the material or treatment directly relates to technique or material, and only in instances where the patient has completed the full treatment recommended, and returned for 6 monthly check-up, review and cleaning appointments. Resin materials such as fillings, splints, dentures, retainers, mouthguards with material failure can be replaced in the first 12 months at 50% of the invoiced fee should a material failure occur.
Any warranty is at the discretion of the Practice Manager and a warranty claim will be denied for patients of bad standing with unpaid accounts, more than 1 missed appointment or patients who have failed to attend their recommended checkup exam and clean appointments.
For complex treatments we offer additional warranty as below,
Crowns/Veneers/Bridges: Titanium frames, Full Contour Zirconia and Full Contour Emax Pressed Porcelain (excluding any layering) is guaranteed for 5 years from insertion so long as the full recommended treatment plan has been completed including wearing of a night-time guard/splint and completing 6 monthly check-up, review and cleaning appointments at Brisbane Smiles.
Dental Implants: Dental Implants are warrantied to osseointegrate and be restored for 12 months after the insertion appointment. Should a Dental Implant fail to osseointegrate, then your Dentist will replace the Dental Implant or provide a refund so long as there are no medical concerns related to the failure and the patient has a ‘no smoking’ past and present history. Following the 12 months, there are several reasons that revision or replacements may be required and these are not covered by warranty. Crowns/Bridges on Dental Implants are covered by the Crowns/Veneers/Bridges warranty above.
Additional Costs: Additional costs can arise during dental treatments and these are not covered by a warranty. When restoring teeth and living tissues, there are bound to be various changes as treatment progresses. Because of this, your treatment plan and fees may be modified if conditions or diagnoses change. Any treatment change to include additional teeth or procedures not mentioned in the “treatment plan” section will be at an extra cost. Examples include cleanings, x-rays, repairs, re-cementation, build-ups, posts, roo canal treatments, whitening procedures, or remake of provisionals or final restorations and the subsequent treatments or referral to Specilaists. When possible, these will be presented at the time they are diagnosed or recommended. However, it is impossible to review the procedure before completion in some circumstances due to treatment conditions.
Dental Professionals at Brisbane Smiles are either directly employed or engaged under Contractor Arrangements with company entities. All Dental Professionals are committed to above warranty and working with frameworks expected for registration with AHPRA as a Dental Professional.
Referral
Sometimes, dental treatments will be referred to another Dental Practitioner. We will share your Dental Record to Specilaist should referral be necessary. The cost of such referred treatment will be detailed by the other Dentist Practitioner/Specialist.
The Dental fees quoted by our practice are for treatments within our practice only.
Records
Dental Records hold valuable dental and medical information and the transfer from dentist to dentist of these records is important. A signed form of release is required for the practice to receive and to release a patient record. You should be aware that dental record transfer is usually performed via email, and email is not a particularly secure medium. If you are concerned you need to make arrangements to pickup and deliver the records in person or arrange registered post. This is in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Any invasive or surgical procedure has risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. No dental treatment is suitable for each and every patient. Dentists will only provide care which is suitable to the individual. Patients of Brisbane Smiles must complete examination and consultation appointments to deem suitability for procedures and full informed consent be given by the patient. Photos shown on this website are actual patients. Photos are for general purposes and individual results will vary.