- Consumer watchdog Which? has described the complaints process for private dental patients in the UK as broken following reports of unexpected costs and treatment issues.
- A survey of 1,009 private dental patients who had experienced problems revealed that 39 per cent faced excessive charges, while a quarter were dissatisfied with their treatment quality.
- Sixty-two per cent of patients who experienced issues chose not to complain, largely due to fears of damaging their relationship with their dentist or believing action would be ineffective.
- Which? is calling on the government and regulators to establish a mandatory independent ombudsman with powers to make binding decisions and award redress.
- The British Dental Association emphasised that the findings do not represent the majority of private patients, but agreed that clear pricing and effective dispute resolution are essential.
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