Complaints procedure
If something has gone wrong with your care, we want to hear about it directly. Most concerns are resolved quickly with a conversation; this page sets out our formal process if you need it.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-06
Speak to us first
Wherever possible, please raise concerns with us directly at the practice. Often what feels like a complaint can be resolved on the spot — by clarifying something we should have explained better, or by adjusting something we got wrong. If a conversation isn’t enough, we move to the formal process below.
How to make a formal complaint
You can raise a formal complaint:
- By post, addressed to the Practice Manager at 778 Fishponds Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 3TX.
- By email through our contact form, marking your message “Complaint”.
- In person, by asking to speak to the Practice Manager during opening hours.
Please tell us your name, the best way to reach you, the date of the appointment(s) involved, and a clear description of what happened and what outcome you would like. The more specific you are, the better we can investigate.
What happens next
- Acknowledgement within three working days. We will acknowledge your complaint in writing and explain who will look into it.
- Investigation. The Practice Manager will review the complaint, your clinical records, and speak to the people involved.
- Full written response within 20 working days.Where a complaint is more complex and we need longer, we’ll write to let you know and agree a revised timescale with you.
- Resolution. Our response will set out what we found, what we have done or will do as a result, and your right to escalate if you remain unhappy.
If you remain unhappy
If our response doesn’t resolve things, you have the right to escalate to an independent body:
- Dental Complaints Service (for private dental care) — dentalcomplaints.org.uk, 020 8253 0800.
- General Dental Council (the UK regulator of dental professionals) — gdc-uk.org, 020 7167 6000.
- Care Quality Commission (for serious safety concerns about a registered service) — cqc.org.uk, 03000 616161.
- Information Commissioner’s Office (for concerns about how we handled your personal information) — ico.org.uk.
Our commitment
We treat every complaint as a chance to improve. Raising one will not affect the standard of care you receive from us, and we will not discharge anyone from our books for raising a legitimate concern. Records of complaints are kept confidentially and securely.