Code of Practice for Patient Complaints
At Smile Dental Care, we are committed to providing high-quality care in a professional and respectful environment.
If something hasn’t met your expectations, we encourage you to share your concerns so we can address them promptly and fairly.
Our Approach to Complaints
We treat every complaint seriously and aim to resolve any issues quickly, courteously, and fairly.
Complaints help us learn from concerns, improve our services, and reduce the risk of similar issues happening again.
How to Make a Complaint
You can make a complaint in the following ways:
- Using our online form: The quickest way to submit a complaint is by completing our online form here.
- In person or over the phone: Please speak to a member of our team or call us on 0330 44 15566. A member of our team will complete a complaint form on your behalf to ensure all relevant details are recorded correctly.
What Happens Next
1. Acknowledgement
We will acknowledge your complaint in writing within 3 working days of receiving it and provide you with a copy of this complaints policy.
2. Assessment & Investigation
Your complaint will be assessed and directed to the appropriate person:
- General service or behaviour concerns may be resolved directly by our practice staff or contact centre team.
- Issues requiring further investigation will be referred to the Practice Manager.
- Complaints relating to clinical care will be referred to the treating clinician.
3. Our Response
We aim to investigate and respond to complaints within 10 working days.
If we need more time to complete our investigation, we will keep you informed, explain the reason for the delay, and provide you with an expected timeframe for our full response.
4. Resolution
Once the complaint has been reviewed and investigated, we will provide a written explanation of the outcome and any actions taken to address the concerns raised.
Record Keeping
We maintain secure and confidential records of all complaints in accordance with applicable data protection requirements.
Complaint records are retained for 11 years after the complaint has been closed and are then securely deleted.
Still Unhappy?
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can contact one of the following independent organisations:
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 015 4033
www.ombudsman.org.uk
The Dental Complaints Service
The Lansdowne Building
2 Lansdowne Road
Croydon
CR9 2ER
Tel: 020 8253 0800
www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk
