Next entry for my DTC competition is from Chinwe Akuona from Kings College London...

A complaint is a statement that something is unsatisfactory or unacceptable.

In the dental setting, a patient may want to make a complaint as a result of disappointment with treatment, lack of transparency with costs, or even because unhappy with staff attitude.

Working as a dentist involves daily human interaction, therefore, it is important to learn to deal with different behaviours and be equipped to handle complaints promptly, effectively and professionally to avoid situations escalating unnecessarily.

Complaints handling is an integral requirement for dental practices, because it is an important way of ensuring patients receive the care they are entitled to.

The CQC and the GDC require all dental providers to have an effective, accessible, clear and straightforward system for identifying, receiving, handling and responding to complaints for all services provided, both privately and under the NHS.

When it comes to managing complaints, prevention is the best approach. Communicating effectively, providing quality treatments that focus on patient’s needs and training the dental team to be prepared at all times are all valuable steps. Observing patients’ body language and providing feedback cards may also help identify complaints that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Dental professionals should have a friendly and approachable attitude when dealing with complaints because more often than not, patients just want to be listened to. No two complaints are the same, therefore, keeping in mind the individual circumstances and adopting a flexible approach is key. Apologising, being sympathetic, acknowledging the complaint and keeping the patient informed every step of the way contribute to making the process tolerable.

Complaints are unavoidable, so don’t see them as obstacles; instead, record them accurately and consider them as valuable feedback and as an opportunity to learn from.

Finally, if ever in doubt, indemnity providers are experts at providing invaluable advice, so always reach out to them.

Next entry for my DTC competition is from Priyanka Adatia from Sheffield University...

Complaints form an important part of everyday life in many job sectors, be it fast-food services to hotels to high street retailers. In an ideal world, complaints wouldn’t exist but without these, self-progression in our fields of work wouldn’t be as pronounced. Complaints are essentially another form of feedback and so re-visiting and learning from them is essential.

One complaint I received was whilst working in a local charity shop, LOROS. At the time, the card payment machine wasn’t working; only cash payments were being accepted. The customer in question complained that she’d spent 30 minutes browsing only to be informed at the till that she wouldn’t be able to purchase the products with her card. At the time, I had apologised for the inconvenience and offered to reserve her products for the remainder of the day to be picked up later after she had visited a cash machine. Although the customer was unhappy with the situation, she decided this was an appropriate solution.

Throughout the day, having put myself in the customers shoes, I empathised with her frustration. So, when discussing the issue with the store manager, we decided actions needed to be taken to avoid reoccurrence. I had suggested measures ranging from a simple sign on the entrance door, to informing customers as they entered onto the shop floor. The next day, even with the non-functioning card machine, with the newly implemented measures, no similar issues arose.

Looking retrospectively, the situation is somewhat comparable to the discussion of risks + benefits for dental treatments. A patient wouldn’t want to be given these after consenting or midway through their treatment as this is key information that may influence their decision. Hence from this complaint, I was able to appreciate the importance of delivering influential information in a timely manner