Categories of Complaints

Complaints about dentists fall into two categories:

• Complaints about malpractice or inappropriate treatment
• Complaints about charges

Malpractice

If you are not happy with the treatment you have received from a Jersey dentist, you may make a complaint to:

• Your dental practice
• The General Dental Council in the UK
• A lawyer

Tell your Dentist you are not happy

You should first speak to your dentist to make sure you have understood the treatment you have been given and any problems that may have happened. You may be able to agree on the fee charged. If you would like to register a complaint, first you should follow the complaints procedure of the dental practice involved. If this fails to resolve the issue then a person may choose to escalate the complaint to the General Dental Council or engage withe a lawyer.

Independent assessment

If the result of poor treatment is so bad that you are thinking of legal action, it is important for you to get an independent assessment of the treatment. You could get this from:

• any other dentist
• a recognised specialist on the Island.

Legal action can take a long time and may prove expensive. We may be able to refer you for an initial diagnostic consultation free of charge so that you can make a decision on whether it is worth pursuing through court.

Charges

Each dentist is free to charge what they like.

Complaints about the charge a dentist has made should be discussed first with the dentist, who may feel able to lower the charge or take payment in instalments. You should really have discussed charges for large-scale work before it is started.

If you are still unhappy with the charge made, and if treatment has been unsuccessful, you could contact the General Dental Council or engage in the services of a lawyer.

Registration of Jersey dentists

All local dentists have to register with the General Dental Council and with the Royal Court.