Purpose of study Accumulation of time lost because of broken appointments in general dental practice can lead to an inefficiently-run practice and may also lead to reduced financial income. This study assessed the reasons for patients failing to attend and analysed the effect of two simple interventions in reducing the numbers of broken appointments. Basic procedures This study audited the causes of broken appointments in a Glasgow dental practice over a four-month period and, in a second four-month period, analysed the effect of using two new methods of patient information in reducing the number of broken appointments in two target groups of the practice population. Main findings The majority of patients failing to attend for dental treatment were unemployed. Simple changes to recall letters and appointment cards significantly reduced the rates of failed appointments in patients attending the practice. Principal conclusions Simple modification to existing practice systems (recall letters and appointment cards) led to a statistically significant reduction in the number of broken appointments.