How to complain about orthodontist?

flashnazia · 18 January 2013 at 3:22PM

I'll get to the point.

13 year old brother has brace fitted on teeth, aka train tracks ones.

For the second time now the wire has snapped a few days after an appointment. The surgery isn't local so there's also the cost and time implications of going again to get it put right.

To top this off, the receptionists have a right attitude problem. A simple question like 'can I reschedule an appointment?' Will result in tutts, sighs, and general 'I can't be asked' sounds.

I want to complain but don't know the best way. I dont want them to refuse treatment or start treating my brother worse.

Toothsmith · 18 January 2013 at 4:13PM

Are you the legal guardian of your brother?

If not, it's not up to you to lodge the complaint, and the case cannot technically be discussed with you.

I'm sorry to tell you that if an orthodontic wire is breaking with annoying regularity, it will be the patient's fault - not the dentist's.

Wearing a brace requires a good degree of cooperation from the patient and they have to eat very carefully and be aware of it and it's limitations every single mealtime.

You tend to find that if a kid is breaking the brace regularly then it's probably because they don't really want to have the treatment, and have probably been pushed into it against their will.

How long has the treatment been going on? Is it quite near the start, or has it been going on for some time.

I would agree that a single request to change an appointment shouldn't be a problem for anybody.

How many times have appointments been rescheduled so far in the treatment? Couple that with a patient who has now broken his braces twice, and you might begin to see why they might be getting a bit fed up.

Coming back to complaints though. If the legal guardian of your brother feels there is a legitimate reason for complaint for any reason, then the first instance, like any dental practice, should be a letter of complaint to the practice itself.

This will trigger the practice's complaints handling proceedure, which you should be informed about within a few days of them receiving your complaint.

In with this information will be details of various organisations you can take your complaint to if you are not satisfied with the outcome you get from the practice itself.

flashnazia · 18 January 2013 at 5:37PM

Hello

Thanks for the reply.

Actually, my brother is not being forced to wear the brace. He wants his teeth to be straight so its not as if he is breaking it on purpose. He is at the start of his treatment. My sister goes there too and the latest round of huffing and puffing from receptionist was because she asked if there was any chance of scheduling both appointments back to back so they could go together.

Having said that, the girl who answered the phone today was actually quite helpful so perhaps its a particular staff member who is the problem.

Thanks anyway.

Toothsmith · 18 January 2013 at 5:44PM

In that case it would be worth some gentle 'feedback' about that staff member, rather than a full on complaint.

But I would still say that your brother needs to just accept that it is quite a delicate thing in his mouth, and he needs to be a bit more careful.

I assume your sister isn't having problems with it falling off and/or breaking regularly?

Marauder999 · 18 January 2013 at 6:01PM

My son who is 12 has had the kind of brace in for about 6 months now without any issues apart from the teething problems of getting used to it.

I can't comment on the breaking of them but it sounds like it would be painful.

I can sympathies re the travelling and appointment times. My wife needs to take my son every 6-8 weeks and needs to travel at least 20 miles to get to the hospital so it is a full day out and he needs to stay off school as she doesn't drive. Thankfully it is normally on her day off so she doesn't need to take any time off.

Next appointment you could ask if there are any recommendations on how to avoid it in the future.

flashnazia · 18 January 2013 at 6:34PM

Toothsmith wrote: »

In that case it would be worth some gentle 'feedback' about that staff member, rather than a full on complaint.

But I would still say that your brother needs to just accept that it is quite a delicate thing in his mouth, and he needs to be a bit more careful.

I assume your sister isn't having problems with it falling off and/or breaking regularly?

I think hers broke once too.

I will tell him to be careful.

brook2jack · 18 January 2013 at 6:41PM

When braces are first put in and after each adjustment is when they are under the most strain and it is not at all unusual for brackets to debond or wire to come out.

Added to that there is alot of things that you cannot eat or do (finger nail biting, chewing gum, pencil chewing) otherwise the brace will break.

It's one of those things that happen and is not the orthodontists fault.

How to complain about orthodontist?

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