Overview
The complainant (Mrs C) said that a neck injury prevented her from being able to lie in the conventional, fully recumbent, position in a dentist’s chair. Her dentist (the Dentist) refused to treat her, as a back problem prevented him from working on patients that were not in the conventional position. Mrs C had to find another dentist that would treat her in a more comfortable position. Mrs C complained about the dental practice (the Practice)'s handling of her situation and the attitude of the Dentist and other staff at the Practice.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that:
- (a) the Dentist unfairly refused to treat Mrs C (not upheld);
- (a) the Dentist failed to provide appropriate information to help Mrs C access the dental treatment that she required (no finding); and
- (b) the Practice’s complaint handling was poor (not upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman draws the Dentist’s attention to the General Dental Council Standards for Dental Professionals guidance, which suggests producing a public version of the Practice’s complaints procedure that can be prominently displayed and made easily available to patients.