About this course
Free course - no card required
Despite our best efforts, there will be occasions when a patient complains. Handling complaints effectively is an essential skill for every member of the dental practice team.
This free course is a GDC Recommended CPD Topic (Complaints Handling).
This course is relevant to the whole dental team.
CPD Time: 1 hour (1 CE Credit)
Customer feedback on this course
- Lots of information and an excellent refresher.
- I found this very useful, in particular how making small adjustments in practice can help go a long way in reassuring patients and helping them through the process.
- Great module. Very professional and comprehensive.
- Fundamental topic, very well presented and explained.
- Excellent course with easy-to-understand language.
Assessment: 12 MCQs. Pass mark 75%. more…
On passing the assessment you will immediately receive a GDC-recognised Enhanced CPD Certificate.
Access: You will have access for 12 months, and can take the course as often as you wish in this period.
Aim:
The aim of the learning and teaching materials in this course is to allow learners to develop their professional knowledge, understanding and competence in complaints handling, in line with their identified personal learning requirements.
Course objective:
• to update members of the dental team with current best practice in managing complaints.
Anticipated learning outcomes:
The learner will:
• understand the background on how complaints can arise.
• understand how to prevent negative feedback from becoming a formal complaint.
• apply the techniques from this course to ensure complaints are handled correctly.
• adopt a patient-centric approach to complaints handling, based on the patient journey.
• through achieving these outcomes, provide an improved level of service to their patients.
GDC Development Outcomes:
A B D
Learning content:
Complaints Handling in Dental Practice | Why Do Patients Complain? | GDC and CQC Rules | In-house Complaints Procedure | Patient-Centric Complaints Management | Contemplation | Making the Complaint | Staying Informed | Outcomes | Patient Reflection | Indemnity | Practice Reflection | Course Completion
View full course description
Complaints Handling in Dental Practice
Course Description
Complaints Handling in Dental Practice
This course provides dental professionals with essential strategies for managing patient complaints effectively. It focuses on understanding why complaints arise, following regulations, and employing patient-centric methods to resolve issues and prevent escalation.
Why Do Patients Complain?
This section looks at common reasons patients lodge complaints, including miscommunication, service issues, and clinical outcomes. It emphasises the importance of addressing patient concerns early to prevent negative feedback from becoming formal complaints.
GDC and CQC Rules
Learn about the regulations set by the General Dental Council (GDC) and Care Quality Commission (CQC) for handling complaints. This page outlines the principles practices must follow and explains the two-stage complaints resolution process for NHS and private patients.
In-house Complaints Procedure
This section covers the essentials of creating a practice-specific complaints procedure, ensuring complaints are investigated fairly, courteously, and resolved locally whenever possible. It highlights the six key principles for managing complaints.
Patient-Centric Complaints Management
Focusing on the patient's perspective, this section outlines steps for assisting patients through the complaints process, including making a complaint, staying informed, and resolving issues. It stresses the importance of communication and empathy in preventing escalation.
Contemplation
Patients often consider complaining without knowing how to proceed. This section teaches practices to actively seek and respond to feedback before issues escalate. Staff are encouraged to create an open, supportive environment for receiving feedback.
Making the Complaint
Patients should be able to complain without fear or obstacles. This section outlines various ways patients can lodge complaints and explains the importance of timely, professional responses. It also provides advice on handling financial and legal aspects of complaints.
Staying Informed
Maintaining consistent communication with patients during the complaints process is essential. This page details how practices can keep patients updated, offer meetings with involved staff, and ensure confidentiality throughout the process.
Outcomes
Effective complaints handling involves providing clear outcomes, such as apologies, corrective actions, or procedural changes. This section explains how to craft a comprehensive response and the importance of showing the patient that their complaint made a difference.
Patient Reflection
This section focuses on the patient’s reflection process after a complaint is resolved. Practices are encouraged to seek feedback on the handling of the complaint and to learn from any dissatisfaction to prevent future issues.
Indemnity
Discusses the importance of indemnity for dental professionals, including the role of defence organisations in providing support throughout the complaints process. This section advises on seeking guidance when handling legal aspects of complaints.
Practice Reflection
Complaints offer valuable learning opportunities for practices. This section encourages regular reflection on complaints during team meetings and highlights the importance of continuous improvement in patient care based on complaint outcomes.
Course Completion
Participants will complete a feedback survey, take a multiple-choice exam, and receive a CPD certificate. The course emphasises reflection on the complaints handling process and applying the knowledge gained in practice.
You can copy and adapt this example PDP entry for your own needs and circumstances. The format complies with GDC guidance on PDP structure.
| PDP Learning or Maintenance need |
| Complaints handling |
| How does this relate to my field of practice? |
| My job is patient-facing |
| Which development outcome(s) does it link to? |
| A B D |
| What benefit will this have to my work? |
| Perform tasks that are required for my normal role/duties. |
| How will I meet this learning or maintenance need? |
| Take the Verified Learning course on Complaints Handling |
| When will I complete the activity? |