Handling Patients’ Complaints Properly: Best Practices for Dentists

By:  Tammie Smeltz, RPLU, Content Marketing Manager

As a dentist, you strive to have meaningful relationships with all your patients. However, it is difficult to please every patient. Eventually, you will receive a complaint or negative feedback. This does not mean your clinical or communication skills are lacking. In many circumstances, even dentists who have a fantastic relationship with their patients find themselves facing a complaint.

There are a number of reasons a patient may complain about dental care, such as the cost of treatment, long wait times or lack of information or explanation about a procedure. Dental procedures can be expensive, and many patients do not carry dental insurance. This can also play a role in patient complaints because many patients pay out-of-pocket for dental care.

Patient satisfaction is an integral part of every clinical setting. How you handle patient complaints may directly impact the potential for future litigation. MLMIC recommends that every dental office have an appropriate protocol in place to address complaints.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when implementing a protocol for your practice:

1. One individual should be identified and consistently used as the primary person to address patient complaints. In many circumstances, it may be the office manager.

2. All staff should know to whom complaints should be addressed, as well as what information constitutes a complaint that requires attention or intervention by that person. The information should, at a minimum, include:

3. • Written or verbal complaints regarding care.
   • Billing or payment issues that involve concerns about the patient’s clinical care.
   • Letters of complaint from third-party payers, the New York State Education Department or other regulatory entities. We recommend you retain personal counsel for assistance in formulating written responses to such agencies.

4. Conversations with patients should be documented in their records. When documenting their concerns, it is appropriate to quote the patient.

5. When complaints involve clinical issues or are complex, dentists or other providers should be involved in addressing the situation.

Additional recommendations for creating a protocol can be found here.

MLMIC policyholders can reach our healthcare attorneys for questions regarding handling patient complaints or any other dental risk management inquiries by calling (800) 275-6564 Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. or by email here.

Our 24/7 hotline is also available for urgent matters after hours at (844) 667-5291 or by emailing hotline@tmglawny.com.

If you are not already a MLMIC insured, learn more about us here.

Sources:

1. https://birdeye.com/blog/dental-complaints/
2. https://www.ada.org/en/resources/practice/practice-management/complaints

This document is for general purposes only and should not be construed as medical or legal advice. This document is not comprehensive and does not cover all possible factual circumstances. Because the facts applicable to your situation may vary, or the laws applicable in your jurisdiction may differ, please contact your attorney or other professional advisors for any questions related to legal, medical or professional obligations, the applicable state or federal laws or other professional questions.