Private dental complaints ‘generally resolved quickly’

A new report has highlighted the speed with which most complaints about private dental care are resolved in the UK.

Issued by the Dental Complaints Service (DCS), the report showed that more than 9,800 calls were received by the organisation in 2013. During the year, it was able to reduce the average time it takes to resolve a complaint from seven to 6.5 days.

This comes after the DCS introduced a 12-month time limit for reporting complaints in 2013 to facilitate the resolution of complaints in a timely manner and to ensure any concerns about private dental care are raised as soon as possible. 

The most common topics for complaints about treatment are crowns, dentures, fillings and braces.

Head of service at the DCS Hazel Adams said: "Our experience is that it's beneficial to both patients and dental professionals for complaints to be resolved promptly. With this in mind, we've worked hard over the past year to reduce the average complaint resolution time."

The DCS was launched in 2006 and is funded by the General Dental Council, though it is independent of this organisation, the NHS and the government.

It aims to settle complaints about private dental care fairly, efficiently and impartially, regardless of the plaintiff's background or circumstances.