Welcome to Trotter & Patel Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics! We are glad you have made an appointment for your child for important oral health care. Regular dental visits every 6 months, including examinations, cleanings, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and fillings, are important to keep teeth healthy. In addition, regular orthodontic adjustments are important to stay on schedule to finish orthodontic treatment within the estimated time frame. It is especially important that you keep your appointment! Valuable time has been reserved for your child’s care. A missed appointment results in lost time which could be used for another patient waiting to receive treatment. Every effort is made to keep on schedule so we respectfully ask patients to be prompt and keep their appointments. The office attempts to schedule appointments at your convenience and when time is available. Preschool children (5 years old and younger) should be seen in the morning because they are fresher and we can work more slowly with them for their comfort. Dr. Trotter has also found that all children having restorative treatment (fillings, extractions, etc.) have a much better experience in the morning for the same reason. We are looking forward to seeing you and your child at their next visit. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our appointment policy. Thank you!

Broken/Missed Appointments

Your child’s scheduled appointment is reserved specifically for them. We try to remind patients the day before the scheduled appointment, but please do not depend on this courtesy. If a cancellation is unavoidable, please call the office at least 24 hours in advance so that we may give your child’s appointment time to another patient. If you do not cancel your child’s appointment with more than 24 hours’ notice or if you do not bring your child to the appointment, we will consider this to be a broken/missed appointment. If 2 broken appointments occur, our office reserves the right not to schedule any subsequent appointments for your child. If a third broken appointment occurs, a $25 fee will be charged to the patient. For orthodontic patients, this may involve early termination of treatment and dismissal from the clinic. Occasionally, children’s illnesses or other unexpected emergencies make it necessary to cancel an appointment with less than 24 hours of notice. Please contact our office immediately and we will do our best to accommodate your situation.

Late Arrivals

If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your child’s appointment, you may be asked to reschedule for the next available appointment time. Again, please call at least 24 hours in advance if a cancellation is unavoidable.

Appointment Delays

We strive to see all patients on time for their scheduled appointment. We make every effort to stay on schedule. Additionally, there are times when our schedule is delayed in order to accommodate an injured child or an emergency. Please accept our apology in advance should this occur during your child’s appointment. We will provide you the same courtesy if your child is in need of emergency treatment. We ask that if your child is not called back in a timely fashion, to please notify a staff member.