Dental Appointments: Why People Cancel And Why You Shouldn’t

Unless you have a dental emergency, you usually have to make an appointment to get dental treatment. Unfortunately, some people make appointments and then cancel at the last minute or fail to show up. Those who cancel their appointments have good reasons, but you should always strive to keep your appointments.

Why People Cancel Appointments

People cancel their dental appointments for various reasons. Below are some reasons that might tempt you to cancel your appointment.

Dental Anxiety or Pain

Many people fear dental treatments, especially the pain and discomfort they associate with the dental instruments and processes. You might be tempted to cancel your appointment if your dental anxiety outweighs your current pain.

That should not be the case since dentists understand dental pain and discomfort and can deal with them. For example, the dentist may:

• Give you pain medication
• Suggest comfortable treatment alternatives
• Explain the process to ease unnecessary anxiety
• Suggest sedation dentistry

Inform your dentist about your fears instead of canceling. That way, your dentist can take relevant measures to give you a comfortable treatment.

Underestimation of Dental Conditions

Dental ailments do not always look serious in the beginning. Some ailments are not even that painful in the beginning. You can easily underestimate such problems and cancel your appointments.

Busy Schedule or Calendar Conflict

Some people truly have busy schedules with work, family, and social engagements. Say you made a dental appointment without a careful look at your calendar. You then realize your dental appointment is at the same time as a job engagement. You might decide to cancel the appointment and go to work.

Illness

Some people also think they have to cancel their dental appointments anytime they are ill. Maybe you made an appointment for dental cleaning, but you developed flu symptoms on your appointment date. You might cancel your appointment to avoid spreading the disease to others at the dental office. You might also cancel the appointment due to flu-related discomfort.

Reasons Not to Cancel

You should always think twice before you cancel a dental appointment. Below are some concrete reasons to keep all your dental appointments.

The Condition Might Worsen

Most health problems, including dental issues, worsen with time. Keep your appointment to manage the condition in its infancy and avoid complications. Otherwise, you might:

• Deal with more pain and treatment discomfort in your next appointment than you would with the canceled appointment
• Have to treat medical problems in other parts of the body if your dental infection spreads
• Require a lengthier treatment time than you would have required with timely treatment
• Run out of noninvasive treatment alternatives and have to face invasive treatments, such as surgery

In short, keep your appointments to protect your dental and general health.

You Might Face Rescheduling Difficulties

You might not always get the appointment date and time you want. That risk is especially high if your area is dealing with a widespread health issue, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, and many people have to cancel or reschedule their appointments. In such cases, strive to keep your appointment to avoid future difficulties.

You Might Pay Cancellation Fees

Lastly, many dentists have cancellation policies that help them deal with patients who cannot keep their dental appointments. For example, some dentists charge cancelation fees for last-minute cancelations or no-shows. The policies help both patients and dentists. For example, you unnecessarily deny others dental care if you make an appointment and fail to show up.

At Apollo Dental Center, we strive to accommodate our patients’ unique needs and preferences. Tell us your questions or fears, and let us help you maintain good oral health. Contact us for a consultation on family or pediatric dentistry and enjoy our professional services.