Complaints Procedure

At 360 Dental Care, we are committed to providing high-quality care and service to all our patients. If you have any concerns or are unhappy with any aspect of your experience, we want to hear from you so we can put things right and learn from the feedback you provide.

We treat all complaints seriously and aim to resolve them courteously, promptly, and in a way that reflects how we would wish a complaint of our own to be handled.

This complaints procedure follows guidance from the General Dental Council (GDC), the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and British Dental Association (BDA) Good Practice Standards.

Who to Contact

The person responsible for handling complaints at our practice is:

How to Make a Complaint

You can make a complaint in person, over the phone, by email or in writing.

In Person or by Phone

We will listen carefully to your concerns and offer to refer you to the Practice Manager immediately. If Dr Desai-Adams is unavailable, we will arrange for her to contact you as soon as possible. If you prefer not to wait, another senior member of the team will be available to speak with you.

In Writing or by Email

All written complaints should be addressed to Dr Desai-Adams and will be acknowledged within 3 working days. A copy of this complaints policy will also be provided.

Timeframe for Complaints

We kindly ask that complaints are made as soon as possible after the issue arises — ideally within 12 months — to allow for a thorough investigation. In some cases, we may still consider complaints made after this timeframe if there is a valid reason for the delay.

Our Complaint Handling Process

• We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days of receipt.
• We aim to investigate and respond within 10 working days. If more time is needed, we will keep you updated and provide a revised timescale.
• We will offer to meet with you to discuss the findings. If you prefer, we can explain the outcome by phone or in writing.
• Once our investigation is complete, we will send you a written summary of our findings and decisions.
• We will keep clear records of the complaint, investigation, outcome, and any changes made as a result.

If your complaint relates to clinical care or treatment, it may be referred to the treating dentist unless you specifically request otherwise.

Learning and Improvement

We review all complaints regularly and use them as an opportunity to improve the quality of care and service we provide. Your feedback helps us grow.

Patient Advocacy Support

If you need help making a complaint or would like someone to support you, we can provide contact details for local, independent advocacy services.

If You're Still Unhappy

We hope to resolve all concerns in-house. However, if you remain dissatisfied after our response, you may wish to contact an external body:

For Private Dental Treatment

For Serious Professional Misconduct

Sharing Feedback (Informal)

If you'd prefer to share feedback that does not require a formal investigation, we still welcome your input. Please let a member of our team know or email us directly. Your feedback helps us to continually improve the service we offer.

Last updated: July 2025