‘Did not attend’–causes of and solutions to a common problem

Non-attendance of patients at healthcare appointments has become an increasing problem, and one that has financial consequences. It can also result in poorer access to healthcare services for those who need them, lower practice productivity, higher patient morbidity and longer waiting lists (Bech, 2005).

A survey by the British Dental Association (2011) estimated that around 3.5 million dental appointments were missed in Britain every year. This equates to approximately two weeks' full-time work for an average dentist (Smith, 2011). Although no official figures exist, there is evidence that the number of missed appointments within the NHS general dental service is increasing on an annual basis (Williams, 2012).