Show a Little Respect

No Shows and Last Minute Cancellations are just disrespectful. Now, as a practicing dentist, a parent and a member of this planet, I too have last minute problems that arise unexpectedly. Not is not the issue. What is at issue is the constant lack of respect displayed by many patients towards their health care providers. I include in this list physicians, dentists, chiropractors etc. Patients need to understand that all we have is our time. If you are going to cancel an appointment, we need to know with enough time to rearrange schedules. Once is OK, twice is maybe a problem but more than that is just plain disrespectful.

If you really don't plan on keeping an appointment, I would suggest you don't make it. Scheduling an appointment with your health care provider is not an arbitrary task. We organize our days based upon the appointments needed by our patients, last minute cancellations or no shows can ruin our day and also place an obstacle in our helping those patients that might truly want and need that appointment.

So, I plead with all of you out there who are about to schedule an appointment with your physician, dentists or other health care provider. Please make every attempt to keep that appointment. If you can't make it, call way in advance. If this is the first time, no problem. If this is becoming a habit, get counseling to help with your habit and stop wasting the time of someone who is there to help you.