The 2012 General Dental Council Annual Patient and Public Survey, issued by the GDC involved over 1,600 people across the United Kingdom. The survey has exposed that there is a very small proportion of patients who complain, consider complaining or speak out to their dental care professionals when they believe something needs to be addressed.
In fact it is as little as 2% of people who have been reported in the survey to have attended a dental appointment and then complained. This 2% also includes individuals who contemplated complaining and did not actually follow through with a formal complaint. This is representative of the last 12 month.
The survey reveals that 95% of patients have never complained or criticised their dental practices or professionals, as well as disclosing that 93% of patients haven’t ever considered complaining.
When people complain or consider complaining the GDC found that these individuals were inclined to complain to their practice directly, when association occurred or treatment was carried out. The survey shows that 37% of patients tackled their issues by approaching or considering approaching their dental practice.
Interestingly, however, 32% of people who had complained previously or wanted to make a complaint weren’t sure who to complain to and how to approach their situation. The survey went on to question patients who had considered complaining what it was that had stop them from doing so. The survey uncovered the 29% were not sure where to start and 26% didn’t know how to access information concerning their issues, with no knowledge of who to address or where to go.
The GDC stated that, ‘The GDC is committed to letting people know who they need to complain to.’ They also provided access to the survey which can be found here.
So what do you do if you want to complain?
The GDC supplied some steps that indviduals can take when wanting to raise concern involving their dental care experiences. They maintained that if individuals are in some way not happy with their situations, for whatever reason should be aware that they are in their own right to raise concern. There are a number of ways that you can approach the situation and these depend on the issue at hand.
There are different steps for treatment provided by the NHS and Private dental treatment. Patients can carry out the the In-house complaints procedure which all dental practices are required to have. They can also follow the NHS complaints procedure by contacting the NHS directly or they can follow the Private dental treatment procedure by contacting The Dental Complaints Service.
The GDC will take action when a dental professional’s ability, behaviour or health is called in to question and if it is considered unsuitable for them to continue working in dental care. The GDC also provide information of other organisations who may be able to offer their services. See here for more information.
The GDC also announced that their survey showed that there was ‘a high level of confidence in the GDC’s regulation of dental professionals.’ Figures showed that 78% who have heard of the GDC, or think they have heard of the GDC are confident in its professionalism and care in dental regulation. 80% were also shown to be confident that dental professionals adhere to GDC rules.
The survey results are now being used by the GDC to help boost performance and confidence further!