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Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

W e would all like to go through life with- out ever having our professionalism or skills called into question. However, this isn’t always possible. For dental professionals, who see numer- ous different patients every day, it is likely that on at least one occasion during their career, they will receive a complaint. Knowing how to handle it sen- sitively and appropriately can make a huge difference to the outcome and may mean the dif- ference between a satisfied pa- tient returning to see you again or the complaint being escalat- ed through the NHS complaints system or Dental Complaints Service. Dental professionals will be all too aware that build- ing good patient relationships is an important part of their day to day work. The way in which you communicate with your patients can also help you to minimise the likeli- hood of a complaint being made. For example, by ensur- ing that patients are aware of any risks associated with their treatment before they proceed and that their expectations of the outcome are realistic. How- ever, things can and do go wrong and when this happens it is important that your prac- tice has an effective system in place for responding to issues and concerns. Common reasons There are many factors that can cause a patient to com- plain. Common allegations in- clude the dental professional’s attitude, the standard of treat- ment provided, time-keeping for appointments as well as fees and charges. Although the exact cause of the individual complaint can be varied, the DDU advises that there are two main underlying reasons for most complaints: the pa- tient is dissatisfied with some aspect of treatment or service, or there has been a failure to meet the patient’s needs or expectations. Receiving a complaint A patient may choose to voice their concern to the dental professional face to face; al- ternatively, they may decide to complain via a telephone call or in writing, all of which will require an appropriate and prompt response. In most cases, patients will raise their complaint directly to the prac- tice, either in person or in writ- ing. Complaints at this level can often be dealt with at practice level, which avoids the need for other organisations to become involved with the complaint. If the treatment is provided under the NHS, the NHS social care and complaints procedure requires dental practices to en- sure that all practice staff have a good understanding of the complaints process and know how to handle and respond to complaints and concerns. For dental professionals working in private practice, it is also important to have an in-house complaints procedure which all staff are familiar with and which should be readily acces- sible to patients. Responding and resolution There are many steps that can be taken to help resolve a com- plaint quickly and efficiently but the DDU advises that often speed, sympathy and a willing- ness to listen may be all that is necessary. If the patient makes an oral complaint, it may be more effective for the dental professional to spend a few minutes discussing the mat- ter there and then. If other pa- tients are waiting, it may be necessary to ask that the com- plainant make an appointment to discuss the matter. It is im- portant to encourage the pa- tient to speak openly about their concerns. This can be achieved through actively listening to the patient and reassuring them that whatever they say will be treated sensitively and in confidence. If responding by letter, en- sure that the letter addresses all of the patient’s concerns and does not use too many technical terms or jargon. For both types of response, try to consider the outcome the complainant wants and how this can be achieved. If in doubt, ask them to specify the outcome they are seeking. You can then decide if it is ap- propriate at this stage. It is rarely appropriate for the dental professional to ex- press an opinion on an act or omission of a colleague, unless under direct supervision, even with their consent. For com- plaints that involve more than one clinician, it may be neces- sary to provide a joint response. A patient may instruct a rep- resentative to complain on their behalf. It is important for the dental professional to remem- ber that they should only cor- respond with a patient’s repre- sentative if the patient has given their consent to the practice. Many dental professionals may feel that offering the pa- tient an apology could be seen as an admission of liability but an appropriate apology is not an admission of liability and in most cases, this may be all the patient is seeking. Avoiding escalation and future complaints If a complaint is dealt with in a prompt and satisfactory man- ner, it may well not be taken any further. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to resolve the matter at practice level. If this is the case the complainant should be informed that they can escalate a complaint about NHS treatment to the Ombuds- man. A complaint about private treatment can be directed to the Dental Complaints Service. The DDU advises that den- tal practices should have a system in place for reviewing and learning from complaints to ensure similar issues do not recur. It may be useful for the practice to put in place a sys- tem for recording comments and suggestions anonymously so that issues can be identified before they become full blown complaints. Ultimately, although com- plaints will be an issue for most dental professionals at some stage in their career, it is impor- tant to remember that the major- ity of patient grievances can be resolved at practice level with- out the need for escalation or the involvement of the Den- tal Complaints Service or the Health Service Ombudsman. Remember, as soon as you re- ceive a complaint, contact your Defence Organisation for ad- vice regarding how best to re- spond to the complaint. DT Leo Briggs, dento-legal adviser at the DDU, offers advice to dental professionals on how best to respond to a patient making a complaint Complaints handling About the author Leo Briggs qualified from University College Hospital, London in 1989. He has worked extensively in the Com- munity Dental Service including a period overseas. He has also worked in general dental practice. Leo gained a masters degree in Periodontology from the Eastman Dental Institute, London in 1995 and is on the GDC specialist register for Periodontics. Since 1995 he has provided special- ist periodontal treatment in both the salaried dental service and private practice. He has a particular interest in Clinical Periodontics as well as the salaried primary dental services. February 6-12, 2012United Kingdom Edition FenderWedge protects the tissue and separates the teeth, simplifying the following application of a matrix.It can be applied buccally or lingually for optimal access and vision. Available in four color coded sizes. FenderWedge during tooth preparation Luxator Periotomes are specially designed periodontal ligament knives with fine tapering blades that compress the alveolar bone, cut the membrane and gently ease the tooth from the socket. The whole operation is performed with a minimum of tissue damage. 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