Receiving a Complaint and Listening First

The first person to hear a complaint does not need all the answers, but they must listen carefully. Dental nurses may be approached chairside, in the corridor, by telephone, at reception, or after the dentist has left.

Patients often speak to a dental nurse because the nurse seems more approachable, or because they do not want to challenge the clinician directly. This commonly happens when the concern involves pain, cost, consent, communication, waiting time, embarrassment or feeling dismissed.

Useful first-response phrases

• "Thank you for telling us."
• "I can see this is important to you."
• "Would you like to talk somewhere more private?"
• "I will make sure the right person is told."
• "I do not want to guess, but I can arrange for this to be reviewed."

Avoid arguing, blaming, minimising or making legal or clinical conclusions. A dental nurse should not say "the dentist did nothing wrong", "you misunderstood", "you will get a refund", or "there is no point complaining". Such statements can hinder resolution and may fall outside the nurse's role.

Patient-clinician power imbalance

Listening first does not mean agreeing with every allegation. It means taking the concern seriously and moving it into the correct process.