The Successful Management of Complaints – Turning Threats into Opportunities

From Volume 35, Issue 3, April 2008 | Pages 182-186

Authors

Len D'Cruz

BDS, LDSRCS, FCGDent, LLM, DipFOd

General Dental Practitioner, Woodford Green, Essex

Articles by Len D'Cruz

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Abstract

This article identifies the drivers that influence a patient's decision to complain about his/her care and the multifactorial reasons for this. It explores the effects complaints have on dentists and their teams and how these reactions should not be underestimated, even when the complaint can be quite minor. The article goes on to give some generic advice about complaints handling with a brief overview of the NHS procedures in the new contract and finishes with some useful strategies to prevent complaints occurring in the first place.

Article