By displaying a price list in the practice and on the website, patients can gain some idea about the cost of the initial examination. Indeed it is a good idea to tell all patients if the price list has been updated and to offer them a printed copy or indicate where it can be viewed.

Although they can read the prices of an x-ray or other items of treatment they will not necessarily know how many x-rays and what sort of films will be required, or indeed what other treatments might be clinically necessary. Clarification of the cost needs to be done before starting the treatment in order to avoid misunderstandings about the cost of treatment 

Whilst there is no reason why you should not employ a practice manager to correspond with your patients, this person would still be working to your instructions and it would be necessary for you to be able to check what has been written on your behalf to ensure that it accurately reflected what you were trying to communicate to the patient. We can all have trouble with spelling and grammar from time to time and help from a member of the team who can write good English can certainly be helpful in achieving a good professional standard.

If the communication is coming from you, then the signature on the communication should also be yours and not that of the practice manager (although the manager could sign it in your absence if this is stated alongside their signature). Ultimately you are responsible for all communications with the patient and you have a vicarious liability for the acts and omissions of any practice staff who are acting on your behalf.

Dental Board of Australia; English language skills registration standards