How do I make a complaint about my dental care?

If you are unhappy with your dental treatment, the first thing to do is always approach your dental practice with your concerns.

This can either be done by telephone, letter or email.

Explain your concerns and what you would like the ideal solution to be. In most cases you will be able to solve the problem together with your dentist. 

If you are still not happy, you might need to seek a second opinion from another dentist for which they may make a charge. 

If you would rather not go directly to the practice, you can contact NHS England, which is responsible for NHS dental services.

If you're not happy with the way your complaint was handled – either by the dental practice or NHS England – you may wish to contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO).

You can find further information and support for making a complaint from:

• A hospital's Patient Advice and Liaison Service, if your treatment was carried out in a hospital.

• Your local Citizens Advice.

• The Care Quality Commission (CQC) – the CQC does not settle individual disputes, but your feedback about a practice helps it to decide when, where and what to inspect.

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Complaining about private dental treatment

If you wish to make a complaint about private dental services, contact the practice manager of the private dental surgery.

Your complaint must be made within 12 months of receiving treatment.

If your complaint is not resolved satisfactorily, you may want to consider contacting the General Dental Council, which sets standards of conduct and regulates all dental professionals in the UK. It may be able to investigate your concerns.

You can also contact the Dental Complaints Service on 020 8253 0800 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or visit its website for more information.