News
Communication the key to resolving complaints
Annual review of complaints service offers advice for practitioners to reduce the amount of complaints that are taken further
The president of the Dental Council has expressed his concern that a quarter of communications complaints received by the regulator relate to dentists’ reactions to a patient concern being raised. Writing in the annual report
of the Dental Complaints Resolution Service (DCRS), Dr Eamon Croke said: “It is unsettling to note that 25 per cent of communication complaints relate to dentists’ behaviour after the patient brought a concern to their attention. All of these types of complaints are within the remit of all dental practices to address and resolve to mutual benefit.” The DCRS was launched in 20ı2 as an alter-
ANNUAL REPORT 2014
of nearly 200 dentists, 9ı per cent said they were aware of the DCRS but only ı3 per cent said they were very or extremely familiar with the operation of the service, with 60 per cent indicating that they were not at all or slightly familiar. However, 64 per cent
of those who used the service were either very or completely satisfied with the handling of a complaint. Of those who availed of the DCRS, 32 per
cent believed the settlement was unfair or very unfair, 32 per cent thought it about right and 36 per cent said it was fair or very fair. Michael Kilcoyne, facilitator of the DCRS,
native means to handling complaints, with the exceptions of treatments under the scope of the medical card or social insurance schemes. In 20ı4, the service received 384 telephone calls and ı,250 emails, leading to ı58 cases that were taken on by the DCRS. The service is free to members of the Irish
Dental Association (IDA) and costs €95 per complaint for non-members. In an IDA survey
said: “The most important advice that the Dental Complaints Resolution Service can offer to dentists is to listen closely to their patients. Even if the dentist believes they are not in the wrong, they should address their patient’s views. There will always be a certain amount of complaints when you are providing a service, and sometimes these can be resolved, or even avoided, simply by communicating.”
Dental diet zone at Showcase
A brand new Dietary Zone highlighting the impact of diet on dental health will be one of the many new launches at the 20ı5 BDIA Dental Showcase this year. Sponsored by The
Dairy Council, the Dietary Zone will include a wealth of informat ion and resources for team members involved in talking to patients about the effects of diet on oral health. Showcase, which is
to be held at the NEC in Birmingham on 22-24 October, will also see a taster session from the Associa- tion of Dental Implantology and a special day of lectures, awards and CPD for members of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy. The annual dental show
will also see more than 350 exhibitors and an extensive programme of mini lectures and presentations.
® For more information and to register, visit
www.dentalshowcase.com
New associates shunned by high street mortgage lenders
PROPERTY
The top five lenders in the UK will not lend to newly self-employed dentists, regardless of income, according to a firm of dental financial planners. A review carried out by PFM Dental
found that self-employed dentists without at least two years of accounts were barred from obtaining a mortgage. The firm looked at the top five lenders on comparison site
Moneysupermarket.com and found that they will not lend to new associates regardless of income.
8 Ireland’s Dental magazine Jon Drysdale of PFM Dental said: “We
based our review on a first-time buyer wishing to borrow £ı80,000 (€256,000) for a house purchase of £200,000 (€284,000). The majority of dental associates would easily
afford the repayments and they have virtu- ally guaranteed job security. The good news is that specialist dental advisers are aware of lenders happy to accept mortgage applica- tions from newly qualified associates.” Around ı,ı00 dentists in Northern Ireland
and the rest of the UK have now completed vocational and foundation training in the current academic year and the majority will start associate positions during August and September. The move to self-employment usually results in an immediate uplift in income, causing many dentists to think about their first property purchase.
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