Complaints Policy

We take complaints very seriously indeed and try to ensure all our patients are pleased with their experience of our service. When you complain, you will be dealt with courteously and promptly, so the matter is resolved as quickly as possible. Our complaints procedure is based on these objectives.

• Our aim is to respond to complaints in the way we would want our own complaint about a service to be handled. We learn from every mistake we make and respond to your concerns in a caring and sensitive way.
• In the first instance, our Welcome Team are encouraged to rectify any complaints. However, if your complaint needs to be taken further, the person responsible for the service we provide is the Clinical Manager, Bil Hassan.
• If you complain on the telephone or at the Welcome desk, we will listen to your complaint and offer to refer you to the Clinical Manager immediately. If the Clinical Manager is not available at that time, you will be told when you will be able to talk to the dentist and arrangements will be made for this to happen. The member of staff will take brief details of the complaint and pass them on. If we cannot arrange this within a reasonable period, or you do not wish to wait to discuss the matter, arrangements will be made for someone else to deal with your complaint.
• If you complain in writing, the letter will be passed on immediately to the Clinical Manager.
• If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care, associated charges or abuse, it will normally be referred to the dentist, unless you do not want this to happen.
• We will acknowledge your complaint in writing and enclose a copy of this code of practice as soon as possible, normally within ten working days. We will seek to investigate your complaint within ten working days of receipt to give an explanation of the circumstances which led to the complaint. If you do not wish to meet us, we will attempt to talk to you on the telephone. If we are unable to investigate your complaint within ten working days, we will notify you, giving reasons for the delay and a likely period within which the investigation will be completed.
• We will confirm the decision about your complaint in writing, immediately after completing our investigation.
• Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received.
• If you are not satisfied with the result of our procedure then a complaint may be made to:

The Dental Complaints Service (020 8253 0800) – for complaints about private treatment.

The General Dental Council (the dentists’ registration body), 37 Wimpole Street, London, W1M 8DQ.