The purpose of this document is to set out the terms of the agreement for treatment between our patients and Stella Maris Dental under the name of Stella Maris Membership.
This is a payment plan to budget for the patient’s routine maintenance dental health treatment. This document details the treatment to which the patient is entitled to and the patient’s obligations to Stella Maris Dental under the plan. This document has been designed to clearly explain the operation of the plan to the patient. However, if you have any questions about the plan, please do not hesitate to discuss them with your dentist and we will only be too pleased to help. In particular, if you have any questions about which treatment are included within the scope of the plan you should ask Stella Maris Dental. Please read the terms and conditions set out below very carefully and if you are happy to proceed inform Stella Maris Dental. A copy of the agreement is available from our web site (www.confidence2smile.co.uk) for your records.
Stella Maris Dental means Stella Maris Practice Ltd., 84 Walsall Road, Stone Cross, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B71 3HN
The patient means the person to whom the agreement is designed for.
Stella Maris Dental operates a plan to allow the patient to budget for their routine maintenance dental treatment (dental examination including visual mouth cancer screening, not including adjunctive tests, hygiene appointments and all in house radiographs or X-Rays, (including a Panoramic radiograph) by collecting a monthly Direct Debit from the patient from the date of signing this agreement. This type of plan is commonly known as a monthly dental payment plan. The treatment that is covered under the plan is detailed at paragraph 3 below. The agreement for treatment is between the patient and Stella Maris Dental.
The agreement is personal to the patient and Stella Maris Dental. It may not be transferred or assigned to another dentist or dental practice. If the patient received treatment from another dentist that was not arranged and approved by Stella Maris Dental the treatment fees will not be covered by the plan and the patient will have to pay the other dentist’s fees and charges themselves.
Under the plan arrangement the patient is entitled to receive the dental treatment provided by the level allocated to them under the plan.
Stella Maris Dental will provide reasonable access to emergency treatment outside of normal practice hours. Stella Maris Dental at its discretion may either provide this treatment itself or through another dentist via prior arrangement. More details are set out in clause 8.
The following treatments are not included under the terms of the plan:
Nothing in this agreement prevents the patient from receiving treatment from Stella Maris Dental that is not paid for under the plan. However, the patient will be responsible for any treatment or charges not covered by the plan.
The plan only covers treatment that is provided, arranged or approved by Stella Maris Dental. It will therefore cover the treatment given to the patient by a dentist who is not associated with Stella Maris Dental provided that Stella Maris Dental has arranged this treatment on the patient’s behalf. However, if the patient receives treatment from another dentist that was not arranged and approved by Stella Maris Dental in writing, the cost of the treatment will not be met by the plan and the patient will have to pay for this themselves. This includes any emergency treatment.
The plan does not include payment for costs for either referral to a specialist or treatment from a specialist. If a patient requires referral to a specialist or treatment from a specialist then the patient will have to pay for the referral and treatment themselves.
The patient consents to the disclosure of the patient’s dental and other records for the purposes of any treatment, examination or review of dental health care provided by Stella Maris Dental under this agreement. The patient’s records will only be disclosed for these purposes and no other purposes without the patient’s express written consent.
If it is necessary for the patient’s monthly Direct Debit to be varied the patient will be given the appropriate notice, normally two months, or immediately with the approval of the patient.
If a patient fails to pay a monthly fee within 1 month of it falling due, Stella Maris Dental will contact the patient to review the situation. If the patient fails to make 2 successive payments without good reason this agreement will be terminated by Stella Maris Dental immediately. The patient will then be personally liable for any fees payable to Stella Maris Dental.
Stella Maris Dental maintains an internal dispute resolution procedure. Should the patient be dissatisfied with the care that they have received they should raise the matter with the practice.
If the patient does not comply with any or part of the above requirements then the patient will not be entitled to receive treatment under the terms of the plan. The patient will become personally liable to pay the fees charged by Stella Maris Dental for treatment provided to correct any problem with the patient’s dental heath that the patient previously knew about but failed to inform Stella Maris Dental. If in the reasonable opinion of the patient’s dentist it is no longer possible to maintain the patient’s dental health because of something that the patient has done or something that the patient has failed to do, then Stella Maris Dental may end this agreement by giving the patient 2 months written notice to this effect.
The terms and conditions of this agreement may be varied by Stella Maris Dental after they have provided the patient with 2 months written notice of their intention to vary the agreement. Such a notice is deemed to have been received on the second day after posting by first class post. If the patient does not wish to accept the variation then the patient may terminate this agreement by giving 21 days clear written notice to Stella Maris Dental.
If the patient does not give the notice within the time allowed by this paragraph then the patient will be taken to have accepted the variation to the agreement.
The patient may end this agreement by giving no less than 21 days clear written notice to Stella Maris Dental. If the patient wishes to leave Stella Maris Dental the patient should arrange a final appointment at which Stella Maris Dental will arrange to provide the patient with any necessary outstanding treatment and review their dental health. Stella Maris Dental may end this agreement by giving the patient written notice. Such notice will expire on the last day of the month after 2 months of the notice having been sent or the completion of an outstanding course of treatment, whichever event occurs last. Such notice will be deemed to have been received on the second day after posting by first class post.
English law shall apply to this agreement and both patient and Stella Maris Dental agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English, Irish, Scottish & Welsh courts.
If any provision of this agreement is held by a court or other competent authority to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or part the validity of other provisions of this agreement and the remainder of the provision in question shall not be affected.
Membership is for a minimum 12-month term and that should an individual cancel their plan before the 12 month period then any discounts applied to treatment plan will be voided and the full amounts will need to be paid, or the fees for the remaining term outstanding will need to be paid.