Complaints policy and procedure

At The Curve Dental, we are committed to providing high-quality dental care to all our
patients. We take feedback and complaints seriously and view them as an opportunity
to learn, improve our services, and maintain trust and transparency.

We aim to handle all complaints courteously, efficiently, and promptly so that concerns
can be resolved as quickly as possible.

The person responsible for handling all complaints at the practice is Shinal Desai.

How to make a complaint

We hope that most issues can be resolved quickly and informally, often at the time they
arise and with the person concerned.

If your concern cannot be resolved in this way, or you would prefer to make a formal
complaint, you may do so verbally, in writing, or by email.

Please contact our complaints manager:

Complaints made verbally

If you make a complaint in person or by telephone, we will listen to your concerns and,
where possible, attempt to resolve them immediately.

If the complaints lead is not available, a team member will record your details and a brief
description of your complaint.

Your complaint will be acknowledged within three working days, and arrangements will
be made for the complaints lead to contact you directly.

Complaints made in writing or by email

Written or emailed complaints will be passed immediately to the complaints lead, who
will acknowledge receipt within three working days of receiving your correspondence.

Investigation and response

We will make every effort to resolve your complaint within ten working days of
acknowledgement.

If the investigation is likely to take longer, for example where clinical advice is required,
we will inform you of the reason for the delay and agree an updated timescale with you.

If your complaint involves clinical care or treatment, it will usually be referred to the
treating dentist unless you specifically request otherwise.

Once our investigation is complete, we will contact you via your preferred method
(letter, email, or telephone) to explain our findings and any actions taken.

Where necessary, we may seek advice from our indemnity provider, insurer, or legal
adviser to ensure a fair and compliant response. Only relevant information will be shared,
and confidentiality will be maintained at all times.

Confidentiality

All complaints are treated in the strictest confidence. Patient records remain confidential,
and only those involved in investigating or resolving the complaint will have access to
relevant information.

Learning from complaints

All complaints are recorded centrally and reviewed regularly as part of our governance
and quality improvement processes. This helps us identify trends, improve our services,
and share learning across the team.

Time limits for making a complaint

Complaints should normally be made within 12 months of the incident or from when the
issue first came to your attention.

Reasonable exceptions will be considered where there are valid reasons for delay.

If you are not satisfied

We encourage patients to use our practice complaints procedure first, as this gives us
the best opportunity to resolve issues and improve our services.

If you remain dissatisfied, you may contact one of the following independent bodies:

Care Quality Commission (CQC)

The CQC does not investigate individual complaints but encourages feedback.

Website: www.cqc.org.uk/give-feedback-on-care
Telephone: 03000 616161 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm, excluding bank holidays)

NHS complaints

If your treatment is provided by the NHS and you would prefer not to contact the
practice directly, you may contact your local Integrated Care Board (ICB).

NHS Devon ICB

If you are unhappy with how your complaint has been handled by either the practice or
the ICB, you may contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Telephone: 0345 015 4033
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

Private patients

Complaints from private patients are handled by the Dental Complaints Service.

Telephone: 0208 253 0800 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Website: dcs.gdc-uk.org

General Dental Council (GDC)

Telephone: 0845 222 4141 or 0207 887 3800
Website: contactus.gdc-uk.org

Document control

  • Title: Complaints Policy and Procedure
  • Author: DCME Team
  • Owner: DCME Team
  • Approver: DCME Team
  • Policy created: 12/07/2023
  • Latest review date: October 2025
  • Next review date: October 2026

Change history

  • Version 0.1 – 12/07/2023 – New template created
  • Version 0.2 – 05/08/2024 – Updated template, clarified verbal and written complaints and ICB role
  • Version 0.3 – 09/09/2024 – Added timeframe for raising complaints
  • Version 0.4 – October 2025 – Rewritten for patient clarity

The latest approved version of this document supersedes all previous versions. All
earlier versions should be destroyed unless specifically stated otherwise. If in doubt,
please contact the document author.

Approved by: Ravi Samir Patel, Shinal Desai
Date published: 29/01/2026