What Makes a Patient Complain?

Abstract

Despite clinicians' best efforts, complaints can arise even when treatment outcomes are considered successful by the dental team. The stress and anxiety experienced by clinicians is significant, with complaints often reflecting perceived rather than actual substandard care. This paper explores the occurrence and impact of unexpected complaints in dental care, focusing on factors that contribute to them. A complaint rarely leads to a clinical negligence claim; however, the dental team can learn from complaints and use them to improve patient care thus reducing the likelihood of them being made in future. Complaints frequently result from communication failures, perceived poor care and issues in the patient-clinician relationship. Factors such as clinician characteristics, patient demographics and psychological profiles also influence complaint rates. Increasingly, complaints about NHS dentistry in primary care are focused on the costs associated with it, confusion about treatment availability (NHS/private) and difficulties in accessing dental care. Improving communication and empathy as well as personalized patient care are crucial to reducing complaints, minimizing litigation and enhancing overall care. CPD/Clinical Relevance: Understanding the origins of patient complaints can help clinicians develop strategies to improve patient satisfaction and reduce the likelihood of complaints.