A new guide to handling complaints

The Guide, which will be available at the Dentistry Show in Birmingham this week, covers a range of issues to assist dental care professionals, including tools to minimise patient dissatisfaction and support on dealing with complaints locally.

Kevin Lewis, director at Dental Protection said:

“Receiving a complaint does not necessarily make you a bad dentist, hygienist or therapist. Many complaints produce no evidence of any fault on the part of the practitioner, rather, point to a breakdown in communication or in the relationship between the patient and the dental professional.

“A patient’s decision to make a complaint should always be respected and taken seriously; often they just want to know they are being listened to. Acknowledging the issue, investigating fully and resolving their dissatisfaction as best you can should go some way to healing the relationship. In many cases a well managed complaint can turn an unhappy patient into a vocal ambassador for you and your practice. It is an excellent learning opportunity too; it may alert you to areas of service delivery that, if not addressed, could lead to a more serious complaint in the future.