I can’t ‘briefly’ explain that, and I think I did on a previous thread so I’ll have a look and copy paste.
As for missed apts, yes, we can block patients. However we have been chronically understaffed for years. There are 5 dentists worth of patients registered yet two of us. No matter how many we block for missing appointments there are more registered at the practice. We would essentially have to block 3/5 patients before we had free spaces.
We provide a text reminder the day before and reception manually call any appointment over 20 mins long to confirm the day before. They still don’t turn up. We even get people who booked an emergancy appointment that day not turn up.
Also, a lot of the DNAs (did not attend) are under 16 - they don’t pay so parents don’t care and we are reluctant to block children unless extreme case (not really their fault) Goes down as a ‘was not brought’ rather than did not attend.
Despite all this, to repeat the contract is by far the issue. Hopefully that just provides a bit of insight into life on the shop floor.