Terms and Conditions

This website is owned by TKC Dental.  Our registered business address is 21 Knightsbridge, Belgravia, SW1X 7LY & 6 Russell Gardens, Kensington W14 8EZ

Payment Terms and Other Associated Costs

• Treatment is paid either in full before treatment or in accordance with our in-house practice payment policies
• If paying by Card/Cash/Cheque – prior to your validation appointment (a deposit would have to be made on booking and the rest on the day of completion).
• If through Finance – 2 weeks before your validation appointment
• If additional appointments are added through patient choice (e.g., a second full clinical assessment), we reserve the right to charge a fee in order to confirm your attendance and the clinicians time.
• In rare cases, additional appointments may be required to achieve the best long term result. In such cases, we do not offer compensation (e.g., for travel or loss of earnings).
• All prices are VAT inclusive. Prices are valid for 3 months from the date of the treatment plan
• For patients who decide to discontinue their treatment at TKC and attempt to continue at another dental practice, additional fees may apply.
• A cost may be involved if you request x-rays or scans taken by the clinic.
• For cost-related queries, please speak to your Treatment Co-ordinator.
• Missing a payment: If you miss a payment, we reserve the right to put the treatment on hold until the outstanding balance is paid.

Packages of Care – Warranties
Our warranties come with strict terms and conditions, which we will exercise if our instructions are not followed.

All of our cosmetic treatments, including Veneers, Composite Bonding, Gum Contour, Braces, Invisalign and Crowns are subject to 1 year warranty. Further details on warranties are outlined in the consent forms given to the patient before and after the treatments.

Details about dental implant and full arch/mouth restoration with dental implants are found below:

Biological warranty: 1 Year
• If you have any biological issues within 1 year, we will remediate at our cost
• Biological issues include: implant failure and / or lack of osseointegration due to infection, impaired healing, natural rejection by the body’s immune system & overload. Iatrogenic failure, including poor angulation and alignment.
• Progressive bone loss, bone quality / quantity, – these are some things which cannot be predicted to take place and therefore the practice cannot be held.
• bruxism and other parafunctional habits- if advised by the dentist at the time of treatment that a night guard needs to be worn this needs to be in provision in order to prevent any damage, not doing so can cause failure or damage and the clinic cannot be held liable for this.
• Peri-implantitis- following treatment, patient is required to keep their hygiene up to scratch both at home and have a professional clean every 6 months unless advised differently.
Mechanical warranty: 1 year
• If you have any mechanical (implant component or prosthesis) issues within 1 year, we will remediate at our cost.
• Mechanical issues include: prosthetic and / or implant component (implants, abutments, connecting components) fracture, prosthetics fracture.
Annual Maintenance Appointments: within first 3 months are at no charge (from the completion date)- are only related to the work completed her at The Knightsbridge Clinic. This will not cover your general dental examination of the rest of your teeth.

Patient Suitability Criteria
You (the patient) must:
• Read, sign and understand the all consent documentation provided by The Knightsbridge Clinic. Patients wanting warranty and surety will accept that our expertise and experience of all treatment guides our clinical decisions, so in order to protect our patients’ long-term benefit, our clinical judgement is final.
• Patients will need to be medically fit for treatment. General Practitioner sign-off may be required in certain cases.
• Have expectations aligned with what is anatomically and biologically possible. For example, if a patient has high and exacting expectations that, in our clinical judgement, cannot be predictably achieved, The Knightsbridge Clinic will refuse the patient treatment.
• Not have a compromised medical status that we feel will compromise long term predictability and performance. For example; people who have taken steroids for a prolonged period of time, people with very poor oral hygiene.

Warranty Terms & Conditions
Your Commitments to Us
• You (the patient) must adhere to and follow the advice and judgement of the TKC Dental clinical team.
• You (the patient) must maintain a meticulous standard of home care, oral hygiene and maintenance techniques. Treatment is only the starting point and what happens after your treatment is also important to the short, medium and long term success.
• You (the patient) must adhere to the treatment plan time frames and not deviate from TKC Dental treatment package of care. TKC Dental, however, reserves the right to amend the treatment plan as necessary, based on changing clinical criteria. Human biology is dynamic, and as such, The Knightsbridge Clinic may need to adapt to these changes.
• You (the patient) must attend all maintenance appointments.
• Your annual maintenance appointments are for us to check that the treatment is continuing and that the supporting structures (your bone and gums) are healthy.
• You (the patient) must not allow any dental care professional (other than TKC Dental clinician) to touch or adjust our TKC Dental work, without a written request by email (from the clinician) and a written consent by email (from an TKC Dental clinician). If our work is touched or adjusted, your warranty is null and void. We make no exceptions.
• You (the patient) must provide us with a complete and accurate:
• Medical history: and inform us immediately of any changes to this; including all changes to any medication you have been prescribed.
• Contact details: and inform us immediately of any changes to this; including all changes to telephone numbers, email addresses or addresses.
• If you (the patient) decide to discontinue or delay your treatment plan before it is complete, you must pay any outstanding treatment costs incurred up to that date. You will not be required to pay anything for any treatment that has not been started. Delays to treatment may imply changes to your treatment plan and additional costs.

Warranty Exclusions
• Smokers Nicotine reduces success rates of implants by 30%.
• Patients with an outstanding balance on their account.
• (For those who have elected to take out finance for their treatment), not maintaining the monthly finance payments.
• Damage occurring as a consequence of further dental treatment, opposing jaw treatment, accidental damage/undue care (e.g., sport injuries, cracking nuts with teeth) and illness.
• Patients who have taken steroids for a prolonged period of time. Steroids affect the immune system and healing process. The key ‘risky’ time is following an implant placement. Risk is mitigated by liaising with your GP to monitor/possibly adjust steroid intake around the time of surgical appointments.
• Patients who complete their treatment plan at another dental practice.
• We also strongly recommend that you see your usual hygienist at least 2-3 times a year for hygiene therapy for your natural teeth, which have not been treated cosmetically (veneers, composite bonding, implants etc).

Our Commitment to our Patients
Dental treatment is an elective procedure, and as with all medical treatment it is essential that you have sufficient information to understand fully before you give your consent and commence treatment. As such, the TKC Dental team will question you to ensure that your treatment expectations and wishes are understood, so that we can guide you appropriately and provide you with the best treatment to suit you and your needs.
TKC Dental undertake a full clinical assessment with any radiographs or specialist scans (CBCT) if necessary. Your treatment options, the benefits and potential risks will be outlined. We will also outline your aftercare commitments, the requirement to attend annual maintenance appointments, the costs, associated warranties, terms for payment and payment options which may be available.
A treatment plan will be agreed between you and TKC Dental. You will be required to sign to give your consent to the treatment before your treatment commences. We respect your right to withdraw your consent at any time.
All of The Knightsbridge Clinic clinicians are registered with the General Dental Council and are fully indemnified to undertake the treatment associated with your treatment. We are responsible for ensuring that your treatment is carried out appropriately, safely and in line with the best evidence currently available.
At the end of your treatment we will give you detailed verbal and written aftercare instructions. It is imperative for the short, medium and long term success of your treatment that you follow these instructions. If there is anything you do not understand, just ask – and we provide you with the necessary support and information.
At the beginning of your treatment, we will request a consent to move forwards with the treatment. If during your treatment, your clinician feels that you need further or alternative or supporting treatment due to unforeseen circumstances, he or she will explain the reasons for this and seek your consent prior to commencing any treatment not detailed in your treatment plan.

Appointment rescheduling and cancellations:
All chargeable assessments and treatment appointments are subject to our short notice cancellation policy. Please note due to the current circumstances our cancellation policy requires 72 hours’ notice (3 working days) for all cancelled and rescheduled appointments. Cancellations and rescheduling of appointments on Friday for appointments the following Monday, during the weekend and during bank holidays must be notified within 3 working days. We are putting additional effort in organising our diary and we kindly ask you to help us maintain it by coming to your appointment on time or letting us know about changes to your appointment in advance. All appointments cancelled in less than 72 hours(3 working days) are subject to £2 charge per booked appointment minute. Failure to attend same day appointments will be subject to the same charges. If you are running late please let us know as soon as possible, if you are more than 10 minutes late, your appointment may be subject to cancellation, and you will be charged a cancellation fee.

TKC Dental reserves the right to refuse booking an appointment if patient repeatedly misses an appointment, cancels last minute or does not cover the cancellation fees on time.

If you are going to be late for your appointment
Please do try phoning (not email) the clinic to let us know at least 1 hour before your appointment. If the phone is engaged, leave a voicemail or drop us an email and we will get back to you. If you are late for your appointment and have not let us know within this time period, we reserve the right to offer the appointment to another patient. This may mean that we may or may not be able to accommodate for your appointment on that day and may be required to reschedule (a refund for that appointment cannot be provided as the clinicians time has already been wasted).

Email and SMS appointment reminders
Email & SMS appointment reminders are sent as a courtesy. As with all forms of electronic communication, email & SMS is not always reliable. In the event that an email or SMS is not received and you miss your appointment, a missed appointment fee may still be payable if you have not given us appropriate notice that you are unable to keep your appointment.
TKC Dental uses SMS as our main means of communication with patients. With your SMS and email appointment reminders, it is important that you:
• provide us with mobile number you regularly use
• save TKC Dental  as a ‘trusted’ sender (i.e., do not black-list us)
• check your email frequently and spam box

Problems or urgent queries

Phone during working hours(not email) the clinic if you have any questions, concerns or queries – or if you have pain, discomfort, or have signs of infection such as redness or swelling. If the phone is engaged, leave a voicemail and we will return your call.
If you need an emergency appointment, please phone so that we can try to find a time that suits you and does not clash with other booked appointments. Please do not arrive unannounced at the clinic, as it is possible we may not be able to see you.

Treatment plan time frame
The Knightsbridge Clinic main priority is to provide you with the most suitable treatment plan for you. The duration and process of your treatment is specific to each individual. We strive provide you with predictable time-frame. Most of our treatments are carried out regularly and we have estimated time-line from start to completion. Your treatment may take longer than we estimate or you may need additional appointments to achieve the best possible result. We do not compensate in circumstances where additional appointments are required.
Radiographs, CBCT scans, Photos and Video/Audio Files
In order to give you the most optimum outcome, TKC Dental work with rich data (X-ray, photo, and video/audio). All data is confidential and used in-house only. (the information may be shared with clinicians in house for either a second opinion/ referral for a specific treatment. If the information needs to be send to a dentist outside of the clinic, consent will be obtained verbally/ written and in some cases)
With signed agreement of your treatment plan / consent document, you are providing your permission to TKC Dental to take photographs, audio and video throughout your treatment plan and that any photographs taken may be used to demonstrate techniques and patient education to others.
All radiographs and specialist scans are the property of TKC Dental . Patients (who have proceeded with treatment) are welcome to a copy of their radiographs or specialist scans by a secured means (i.e patient can come into a clinic to gain a copy and will be saved onto a USB key (provided by the patient) or secured link may be emailed to the patient for them to download the information).
CBCT scans may not be possible as specific software is required to view them. A request for a CD can be made and if we are able to transfer the image and the software we will try our best to. We cannot promise anything.

Risks & Success rates
Implant surgery is complex, patients bodies are unique and (as with any type of surgery) don’t always respond in the same way. This means that long-term success cannot be predicted or guaranteed; however published research into long term implant osseointegration (bonding of implants to bone) shows that success rates are usually around 95%.
As with all medical and surgical treatment, there are many benefits and also associated risks. During your clinical assessment, these are explained to you. There is no method to accurately predict how gum or bone will heal. If implants fail to integrate, it typically occurs 4-6 months post-placement and is usually associated with natural rejection by the body’s immune system.
There is a risk of failure of implant components, restorations, and a possibility of bone loss and gum shrinkage. Such events are usually due to biological factors and cannot be predicted.
During extractions and implant procedures there is a risk of damage to the nerves that supply sensation to your teeth, lips and tongue. This leads to numbness or tingling. This usually resolves itself quickly, although occasionally it takes longer and only rarely is it permanent.
Implants and restorations are subject to wear and tear as time goes by. Depending upon the amount of wear, the need for replacement may arise.

Patients who suffer from diabetes or who are taking certain medication are at increased risk of implant failure.
Smoking (including chewing tobacco)
Nicotine reduces the success rates of implants by 30% and increases the risk of post-surgery discomfort. Smokers must quit prior to starting treatment at TKC.
Oral hygiene
Failure to maintain meticulous standard of home care and oral hygiene poses a significant risk to success of implants. You must follow your aftercare and home care instructions and advice. If you do this you are giving your implants the best chance of succeeding. If you don’t, there is every chance that your implants will fail.
There are risks to all kinds of dental treatments such as veneers and composite bonding that over time there is a chance that the restorations can fracture, the underlying tooth may get decay, tooth may die over time, get infected, change in colour etc. These outcomes cannot be predicted and therefore the long term success rate may be compromised.
Root canal treated teeth or a tooth can change in colour, get re-infected and fracture.
Periodontal treatment is treatment where regular maintenance is required, if this is not done or the clinicians advice has not been followed to help the long term prognosis, then over time the disease can get worse and eventually can lead to the loss of teeth.
Teeth whitening is a process of lightening the colour of your teeth for a better cosmetic appearance. The dentist will guide you on how to the use of the kit but we cannot predict that the colour and the outcome as everyone reacts differently. The guidelines would need to be followed to get the best results and use of the kit safely.

Complaints
The Knightsbridge Clinic mission to ensure all of our patients are happy with their experience with us. We take complaints very seriously and we always strive to resolve any complaint swiftly and promptly.
If you wish to raise a complaint please send us a letter(email) or/and call the practice.
We will confirm the decision about the complaint in writing immediately after completing our investigation.

Safety Measures, Patients’ Dental Visit due to Covid-19

Due to Covid-19, The Knightsbridge Clinic has applied additional safety measures to ensure our staff and patients’ safety. The changes are updated regularly in accordance to official guideline.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at: info@theknightsbridgeclinic.uk / info@thekensingtonclinic.co.uk