Terms & Conditions
Last updated: February 2026
1. General Information & Agreement
Chelsea Dental Clinic provides private dental care, cosmetic dentistry, specialist services, and associated treatments. All information provided on our website, marketing materials, social media, or in-clinic literature is for general guidance only and does not constitute medical advice.
All treatment is subject to:
• Clinical examination
• Professional judgement
• Signed consent
• A personalised treatment plan
• These Terms & Conditions
By booking an appointment, attending the clinic, or proceeding with treatment, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms & Conditions in full. Chelsea Dental Clinic reserves the right to update these Terms at any time. The version applicable will be the one in force at the time of booking.
2. Independent Practitioners & Clinical Judgement
All dentists, hygienists, specialists, and clinicians practising at Chelsea Dental Clinic do so as independent practitioners and are not employees of the clinic.
Each clinician is responsible for:
• Their own clinical advice
• Treatment decisions
• Professional indemnity
• Compliance with regulatory obligations
Treatment recommendations are based on professional judgement. Patients acknowledge that dentistry is not an exact science and outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Chelsea Dental Clinic reserves the right to refuse, pause, or discontinue treatment at any stage where it is deemed clinically inappropriate, unsafe, unethical, or not in the patient’s best interests.
3. Fees, Deposits, Payments & Insurance
Chelsea Dental Clinic does not process insurance claims directly.
Patients will receive an itemised invoice to submit to their insurer. Patients remain fully responsible for payment regardless of insurance approval or reimbursement.
Payment Terms
• 50% deposits are required to secure treatment appointments
• 100% payment is required for all consultations at the time of booking
• All remaining balances must be paid on or before the day of treatment, unless agreed otherwise in writing
Failure to pay may result in cancellation of appointments and refusal of further treatment.
Laboratory Work & Third-Party Costs
Treatments involving laboratory work (including crowns, veneers, bridges, implants, dentures, aligners, retainers, whitening trays) require full advance payment before work is commissioned.
Once laboratory work has been started or materials ordered:
• Costs are non-refundable
• Payments remain due even if the patient cancels
• The clinic is not responsible for third-party lab turnaround times
Consultation Fees – Strictly Non-Refundable
Consultations include professional assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, clinical expertise, and time reserved specifically for you.
Consultation fees are strictly non-refundable in all circumstances, including:
• If you decide not to proceed
• If no treatment is carried out that day
• If you cancel late or fail to attend
• If you disagree with the clinical opinion provided
Suitability for Treatment
If, following consultation, you are deemed unsuitable for treatment at Chelsea Dental Clinic for any reason — including clinical, medical, behavioural, ethical, or safety considerations — the consultation fee will not be refunded. The consultation fee reflects the professional service provided regardless of treatment outcome.
Unscheduled Dentist Attendance Fee
If your dentist is required to attend the clinic outside of their scheduled working days, an additional fee of £350 per hour applies, payable at booking.
4. Cancellations, Missed Appointments & Late Arrivals
Cancellations
• More than 48 hours’ notice: appointment may be rescheduled or a credit note issued (valid 12 months). No refunds are given.
• Less than 48 hours’ notice or failure to attend: deposits are forfeited and cancellation fees may apply.
Extended Appointments
For appointments lasting 1.5 hours or longer, at least one week’s notice is required to cancel or reschedule. Otherwise, £350 per hour will be deducted from your deposit.
Late Arrivals
• Under 15 minutes late: appointment may be shortened, full fee remains payable
• Over 15 minutes late: appointment may be cancelled and fees apply
Travel Responsibility
All travel and accommodation arrangements are the patient’s responsibility. The clinic is not liable for reimbursement of travel costs under any circumstances, including clinic rescheduling.
5. Treatment Outcomes, Cosmetic Dentistry & No Guarantee Clause
All dental treatment involves biological variability and individual healing response.
While clinicians aim for the best possible outcome, dentistry cannot guarantee:
• Exact shade matches
• Perfect symmetry
• Lifetime durability
• Specific cosmetic preferences
• A particular aesthetic “look” Patients acknowledge that cosmetic outcomes are subjective and not grounds for refund.
Treatment Plan Validity & Fee Adjustments
All treatment plans and fee estimates are valid for 12 months from the date of issue where treatment relates solely to orthodontics or periodontal (gum) therapy.
For all other treatments, or where treatment is staged (for example orthodontics followed by restorative, veneers, bonding, or crowns), fees are valid for 12 months for the initial phase only. If there is a delay beyond 12 months before commencing the next phase, fees will be subject to review and updated to reflect current pricing, laboratory costs, material costs, and clinical circumstances.
Where treatment has been significantly delayed, the Practice reserves the right to reassess the clinical situation and provide a revised written treatment plan and estimate prior to proceeding.
Historic treatment plans cannot be honoured at outdated fee levels.
A revised estimate will always be issued before further treatment is undertaken.
6. Refund Policy
Refunds are not automatic and will never be provided on demand. Where concerns arise, the clinic’s priority is remedial treatment rather than financial reimbursement.
Refunds will only be considered after:
• Full clinical investigation
• Completion of any reasonable remedial options
• Evidence of failure to meet agreed clinical standards
No Refunds Will Be Given For:
• Consultation fees
• Deposits lost through cancellations or non-attendance
• Laboratory fees or third-party costs
• Treatment already started or completed
• Dissatisfaction with aesthetic preferences
• Normal post-treatment sensitivity, discomfort, or healing variation
• Patient failure to follow instructions or attend reviews
7. Patient Responsibilities & Compliance
Patients must:
• Provide accurate and complete medical history
• Update the clinic of any changes
• Follow all post-operative and hygiene instructions
• Attend follow-up and review appointments
Failure to comply removes clinic liability for compromised outcomes.
8. Zero Tolerance Behaviour Policy
Chelsea Dental Clinic maintains a zero tolerance policy toward:
• Abuse, aggression, harassment, or intimidation
• Disruptive behaviour toward staff or other patients
• Repeated non-compliance or unreasonable demands
The clinic reserves the right to terminate care immediately in such cases. Fees remain payable and refunds will not be provided.
9. Chargebacks & Payment Disputes
Patients agree not to initiate chargebacks or payment disputes without first completing the clinic’s complaints process.
Unjustified chargebacks will be treated as breach of contract and may result in:
• Debt recovery action
• Legal proceedings
• Additional administrative costs being charged
10. Photography, Records & Documentation
Clinical photographs, scans, radiographs, and records form part of your medical file.
With consent, anonymised images may be used for clinical education or marketing.
Patients may not record staff or consultations without explicit written permission.
11. Products, Prescriptions & Non-Refundable Items
Medications, consumables, oral care products, whitening gels, retainers, and appliances are non-refundable once supplied.
12. Children & Minors
Patients under 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. The parent/guardian accepts full financial and legal responsibility for consent and payment.
13. Complaints Procedure
Complaints must be submitted in writing to the Practice Manager:
Acknowledgement within 48 hours. Resolution aimed within 21 days. Clinical complaints may require independent review or referral.
14. Legal Jurisdiction
These Terms are governed by English law.
All disputes are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
15. Finance Plans, Debt Recovery & Outstanding Balances
Where payment plans or staged payments are agreed, this remains a discretionary arrangement and does not alter the patient’s responsibility to pay the full balance due. Chelsea Dental Clinic reserves the right to:
• Suspend or discontinue treatment where payments are overdue
• Withhold delivery of appliances, laboratory work, retainers, aligners, or final restorations until accounts are settled
• Refuse future bookings until outstanding balances are paid
Overdue Accounts
Any invoice not paid by the agreed due date may be referred to a third-party debt recovery agency.
Patients will remain liable for all reasonable costs associated with recovering unpaid fees, including but not limited to:
• Administrative charges
• Debt collection agency fees
• Solicitor/legal fees
• Court costs
• Interest on overdue sums (where applicable under statutory provisions)
Non-payment is treated as breach of contract. Chelsea Dental Clinic reserves the right to pursue legal remedies where necessary.
16. Social Media, Reputation & Defamation Policy
Chelsea Dental Clinic welcomes feedback and encourages patients to raise any concerns directly with the Practice Manager through the formal complaints procedure.
Patients agree that complaints must be addressed through the clinic’s internal process before being published online.
Public Statements & Online Reviews
Chelsea Dental Clinic will not tolerate the use of:
• Social media posts
• Online reviews
• Threats of reputational harm
• Defamatory or misleading statements as a means to demand refunds, discounts, or free treatment.
Any attempt to pressure the clinic through public commentary, harassment, or reputational coercion will be treated as unreasonable behaviour and may result in:
• Immediate termination of care
• Formal legal action where appropriate
• Recovery of losses arising from defamatory or malicious statements
Accuracy of Online Content
Patients acknowledge that publishing false, misleading, or malicious claims about the clinic or its clinicians may constitute defamation and may be pursued under applicable UK law.
This clause does not restrict a patient’s right to express genuine opinion, but it does protect the clinic against harmful, inaccurate, or coercive online conduct.