Complaints Procedure

Complaints Procedure

At Pinner Green Dental we are committed to providing high-quality dental care to all our patients. We take feedback and complaints seriously and view them as an opportunity to learn, improve our services, and maintain trust and transparency with our patients. We aim to handle all complaints courteously, efficiently, and promptly so that concerns can be resolved as quickly as possible.

The person responsible for handling all complaints in the practice is Silva Terziyan, Practice Manager (email: manager@pinnerdentist.co.uk, Tel: 02088660362).

1. If a patient complains on the telephone or in person, we will listen to their complaint and offer to refer them to the Practice Manager immediately. If the Practice Manager is not available, a team member will record brief details and arrange for the Practice Manager to contact you directly.
2. If the patient complains in writing or by email, it will be passed on immediately to the Practice Manager, Silva Terziyan.
3. If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care it will normally be referred to the dentist concerned, unless the patient does not want this to happen.
4. We will acknowledge the complaint in writing within 3 working days.
5. We will seek to investigate the complaint within 10 working days and provide a full written response. If we are unable to complete the investigation within this time we will notify you, giving reasons for the delay and an expected timeframe.
6. We will confirm our decision about the complaint in writing immediately after completing our investigation.
7. Where necessary, we may seek advice from our indemnity provider, insurer, or legal adviser to ensure a fair and compliant response. In such cases only relevant information will be shared and confidentiality will be maintained at all times.
8. All complaints are treated in the strictest confidence. Only those involved in investigating or resolving your complaint will have access to the necessary information.
9. Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received and any actions taken to improve services as a consequence.
10. We record all complaints and regularly review them to identify trends and improve our services.
11. Complaints should normally be made within 12 months of the incident or the date the issue came to your attention.
12. If patients are not satisfied with the result of our procedure then a complaint may be made to:

The CQC: www.cqc.org.uk/give-feedback-on-care Telephone: 03000 616161 (Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5.30pm)

The NHS: If your treatment is provided by the NHS and you would prefer not to complain directly to the practice, you can contact your local ICB (Integrated Care Board), which is responsible for NHS dental services.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Telephone: 0345 015 4033, www.ombudsman.org.uk

The Dental Complaints Service (private patients), Telephone: 0208 253 0800, www.dcs.gdc-uk.org

The General Dental Council, Telephone: 020 7167 6000, www.gdc-uk.org

Download our full Complaints Policy (PDF)