Love your complaints – hindsight is a great thing

Complaints happen; as dental professionals we cannot hope to meet every patient's expectations all the time. We cannot be 100% successful in all we do. Many patients appreciate that. Regardless of whether patients are sympathetic to dental professionals being less than super human, complaints happen. Often what is done immediately after something has not gone to plan is crucial in determining if a complaint will be the result or not. Moreover, if there is a complaint, will it be a serious complaint? Giving a complaint top priority as soon as it is made can be vital in preventing the complaint becoming serious. This also enhances the chances of resolving the underlying issues locally and successfully.

To set the scene it is worth remembering the following:

This article is about hindsight; what it is and how it can be used specifically to minimize serious complaints. Tools that help to make the most of hindsight will also be included. The article makes an assumption that readers are aware of the issues that underpin complaints and the factors that can cause dissatisfaction and thereby the escalation into a serious complaint involving a third party organization.