Reading List

A focused selection of current UK guidance and recommended reading for dental nurses on complaints handling, patient-centred responses, professional standards, escalation routes, and learning from concerns.

GDC Professional Standards

• GDC - Complaint handling
  GDC guidance on the six core principles for handling feedback and complaints in dentistry.
  https://www.gdc-uk.org/standards-guidance/standards-and-guidance/complaint-handling

• GDC Standards - Principle 5: Have a clear and effective complaints procedure
  Professional standards covering complaints procedures, acknowledgement, responses, and patient information.
  https://standards.gdc-uk.org/pages/principle5/principle5

• GDC - Standards for the Dental Team
  Core standards for registered dental professionals on communication, complaints, teamwork, and acting in patients' interests.
  https://www.gdc-uk.org/standards-guidance/standards-and-guidance/standards-for-the-dental-team

• GDC - Scope of Practice
  Guidance on role boundaries, competence, indemnity or insurance, and the dental nurse role within the team.
  https://www.gdc-uk.org/standards-guidance/standards-and-guidance/scope-of-practice

• GDC - Safe Practitioner: Dental Nurse
  The dental nurse framework for safe practice, professional behaviour, patient care, communication, and teamwork.
  https://www.gdc-uk.org/docs/default-source/about-us/safe-practitioner/safe-practitioner--dental-nurse.pdf?sfvrsn=bae145a5_4

Complaints Routes and Regulation

• CQC Dental mythbuster 34: Complaints management
  England-specific guidance on how dental practices should manage complaints and how the CQC assesses complaints handling.
  https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/primary-medical-services/dental-mythbuster-34-complaints-management

• CQC - Regulation 16: Receiving and acting on complaints
  Regulatory guidance for providers in England on complaints systems and responding to requests for complaint information.
  https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/regulations-enforcement/regulation-16-receiving-acting-complaints

• Dental Complaints Service
  Advice and support for resolving issues with private dentistry in the UK.
  https://dcs.gdc-uk.org/

• NHS England - Statement on dental complaints
  Guidance clarifying the correct route for dental complaints in England.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/statement-on-dental-complaints/

• Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
  Information about the Ombudsman, which investigates complaints about government departments and the NHS in England.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/the-parliamentary-and-health-service-ombudsman/about

• NHS Wales complaints and concerns
  Guidance on raising complaints and concerns about NHS care and treatment in Wales.
  https://www.gov.wales/nhs-wales-complaints-and-concerns-putting-things-right

• NHS Scotland dental complaints information
  Information on NHS dental treatment in Scotland, including local resolution, health boards, PASS, SPSO, and GDC routes.
  https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/nhs-services/dental/receiving-nhs-dental-treatment-in-scotland/

• HSC Northern Ireland - Dental complaints
  Information on complaints about Health Service dental treatment in Northern Ireland.
  https://bso.hscni.net/directorates/operations/family-practitioner-services/dental-services/patient-information/complaints/

Consult these sources to improve handling of complaints, maintain professional standards, follow the correct escalation routes, and learn from concerns raised in practice.