How do you make a complaint

[~*Plushroom*~]

about a dentist?

My OH registered at our local NHS dentists here and so far the treatment has been terrible, he went last month because one of his teeth has started turning blue and he has a wisdom tooth coming through that's hurting him and he wanted to make sure it was coming in right. I went with him and the guy sat him in the chair, looked and said he was referring him to the hospital and he wouldn't do anything until after that.

He didn't tell my OH anything and a month on he's still heard nothing. They have done this too him once before and is really annoyed, so I thought I'd ask here!

Also, anyone know what a tooth turning blue means, he's still panicking and it'd be good to give him a rough idea what it means and if he needs to hammer down the door of the dentists sharpish.

Thanks.

[Toothsmith]

All dentists should have an in-house complaints policy.

Write your letter of complaint, and within a few days you should have a reply to say they are looking into it, which they will have to do within 14 days.

Also there should be a list of other organisations you can contact if the outcome of your complaint is not to your satisfaction.

If you get no response at all, then contact the local Primary Care Trust's dental department.

By 'Blue' I assume you mean a dark bluey grey colour, and not something like bright electric blue?

Teeth darkening is normally a sign that the tooth has died. Chances are it's due to a big filling, decay, or a bash. It will probably need root filling.

It's probably the wisdom tooth that he was referred for, but that's not really a reason not to treat the darkening one.

[~*Plushroom*~]

All dentists should have an in-house complaints policy.

Write your letter of complaint, and within a few days you should have a rely to say they are looking into it, which they will have to do within 14 days.

Also there should be a list of other organisations you can contact if the outcome of your complaint is not to your satisfaction.

If you get no response at all, then contact the local Primary Care Trust's dental department.

By 'Blue' I assume you mean a dark bluey grey colour, and not something like bright electric blue?

Teeth darkening is normally a sign that the tooth has died. Chances are it's due to a big filling, decay, or a bash. It will probably need root filling.

It's probably the wisdom tooth that he was referred for, but that's not really a reason not to treat the darkening one.

Yes it's an awful shade of blue, like a storm cloud. I had a feeling that might be the case, but because I wasn't sure if it could be that I decided not to worry him over it in case it was nothing.

I thought it rather strange he just looked in him mouth, prodded the area where the tooth was coming in and then said he wouldn't do anything else. I'll let him know tomorrow and get started on the complaint, and finding another dentist I think.

Thank you very much for that, it won't please him to know, but it's better then letting things get worse.