Behind the Desk: Why Our Reception Team Deserve Extra Appreciation

A non-clinical topic this time 😉. When you first make contact with William Place Dental Aesthetics - whether by email, phone, or in person - the first people you’ll meet are our reception team. They greet you with a smile and empathy, help arrange your appointments, answer your questions, and keep the whole practice running smoothly.

But behind the desk, their role is far more complex than it may appear. In a mixed practice like ours (offering both NHS and private dentistry), receptionists face unique pressures that many patients don’t see.

The Reality of NHS Capacity

One of the biggest challenges our reception team faces is explaining the limits of NHS availability.

• Our NHS funding currently supports only 3 out of our 9 surgeries - a situation completely beyond our control.

• 📉 This comes with a strict annual capacity, which we are already projected to exceed.

• We have actively raised these concerns with NHS England and with our local MP, but unfortunately our calls for increased funding have not been successful.

  
  

It’s also important to understand that NHS dentistry works very differently from GP services. Dental care is provided on a treatment-by-treatment basis, not through permanent registration. This means there is no such thing as being an "NHS patient" or “registered on the NHS” under the current contract - patients are free to seek NHS care from any provider who has the capacity without geographical restrictions.

To make matters harder, NHS resources are estimated to cover only 40-50% of the population across England, and most practices prioritise children - this leaves fewer appointments for adults, and naturally, more frustration for patients.

Our receptionists are the ones who must explain all this day in and day out - a tough task when patients understandably want answers or feel disappointed.

Why We Ask for 48 Hours’ Notice

It’s one of the biggest challenges our reception team face: managing missed or late-cancelled appointments. They may seem like a small thing, but in reality every lost slot has a knock-on effect across the whole practice.

Giving us at least 48 hours’ notice when you need to cancel means we can deliver the best possible care for all our patients. Here’s why it matters:

• Delays in treatment - postponing care at short notice can allow dental problems to worsen.

• Lost time for others - the appointment could have been given to another patient in pain or in urgent need.

• Increased costs - no-shows and late cancellations increase the practice’s running costs, which can ultimately affect fees for everyone.

• Disruption to care plans - regular visits are key to maintaining oral health, and missed appointments can affect the success of treatment.

• Pressure on NHS resources - a single missed NHS hour can mean several patients go unseen.

• Wider impact on access - NHS funding is already very limited, covering only around 40–50% of England’s population. Repeated no-shows not only waste precious resources but can even affect a practice’s NHS funding, reducing availability for the whole community.

Late arrivals create similar difficulties. If there isn’t enough time to complete treatment properly, it risks compromising quality or delaying the rest of the day’s patients.

By giving us 48 hours’ notice, you’re helping us reallocate your time to another patient in need, protect NHS resources, and keep access to care fair for everyone..

Handling Patient Frustration

Dental care can feel stressful, and emotions sometimes run high. Sadly, receptionists are often the first people frustration is directed towards.

Examples include:

• Demanding NHS appointments when the funding simply isn’t there.

• Disputing the fact of a missed appointment.

• Using a hostile or aggressive tone in emails or calls.

• Escalating matters unnecessarily (for example, copying in regulators for routine issues).

These situations are particularly tough, because our receptionists genuinely want to help - but also need to protect their own wellbeing.

The Emotional Toll

Reception work is about so much more than answering phones. It’s about absorbing people’s emotions - their anxiety about dental pain or their frustration at NHS waiting times.

While most patients are kind and understanding, even a handful of hostile interactions can take a heavy toll. Being spoken to harshly, or unfairly blamed for issues beyond their control, can leave our team feeling anxious, demoralised, and even dreading coming into work.

Over time, repeated exposure to hostility or aggression can:

• Increase stress and fatigue.

• Cause anxiety that lingers after the working day.

• Lead to burnout, where the emotional strain becomes overwhelming.

It’s easy to underestimate how deeply these experiences affect mental health. A receptionist may smile through it, but behind that smile could be someone feeling shaken or exhausted after yet another difficult interaction.

Why This Matters for Patients

Understanding these challenges helps explain why:

• We ask for 48 hours’ notice for cancellations.

• NHS appointments are more limited and less flexible than private ones.

• We expect respectful communication at all times.

By supporting our reception team, you’re not only helping them protect their mental health - you’re also helping the whole practice run more smoothly, so we can focus on delivering the best possible care to every patient.

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A Quick Note on Our Zero Tolerance Policy

At William Place Dental Aesthetics, we pride ourselves on creating a warm, welcoming environment for every patient. While we love to keep things light and friendly, we do ask for the same in return.

Our Zero Tolerance Policy means we will not accept aggressive, abusive, or disrespectful behaviour towards any member of our team.

We’re here to help you and make your dental journey as smooth as possible - and that only works when we treat each other with kindness and respect.

✨ Let’s keep the smiles going by being great to each other! ✨

A Word of Thanks

We have been proudly serving our community here in Bow for almost 17 years, and during that time our reception team has been at the heart of everything we do.

We are incredibly proud of our reception team: Ren, Farah, Paula, Kristina & Haleemah.

So next time you call or visit, you’ll know just how much goes on behind the desk - and why a kind word can make all the difference. For our receptionists, a little kindness isn’t just polite - it’s powerful. It can be the difference between going home drained and going home with a smile.