Where to complain?

Seth Brundle

My mother was recently at a dentist. Apparently, once finished examining her, he asked her to sit up. She took off the goggles and when rising hit the tray thing with her face.
He started apologising profusely and she kept telling him to relax. Still apologising she jokingly told him that he shouldn't worry; she wouldn't sue.
He then flipped and became extremely angry and defensive and started blaming her for the incident.
By the time she was leaving, she was (and still is) quite upset from his abuse.

This guy runs the practice so no point complaining to management. Is there actually anyone worth complaining to (Irish Dental Association, etc.)?

helimachoptor

Unfortunately mentioning legal action in any type of care environment i.e. malpractice in this case would probably lead to similar reactions.

He's probably thinking his insurance is going to go through the roof.

I would say the dental council, but one of the dentists will be along to confirm.

Oral Surgeon

kbannon wrote: »

My mother was recently at a dentist. Apparently, once finished examining her, he asked her to sit up. She took off the goggles and when rising hit the tray thing with her face.
He started apologising profusely and she kept telling him to relax. Still apologising she jokingly told him that he shouldn't worry; she wouldn't sue.
He then flipped and became extremely angry and defensive and started blaming her for the incident.
By the time she was leaving, she was (and still is) quite upset from his abuse.

This guy runs the practice so no point complaining to management. Is there actually anyone worth complaining to (Irish Dental Association, etc.)?

I won't take sides as I don't know the full story....
Sounds like he flipped and shouldn't have... not professional...
From a dentist's viewpoint, patients are getting more and more litigious (not your mother) and really would sue at the drop of a hat... You woudn't believe the number of times a patient has said to me "you better not break that tooth or I'll sue you...." man what a conversation killer. I know that your mother said it as a joke but maybe it hit a nerve with that dentist as he was previously sued??

Again, I can't defend going spa at a patient....

You could complain to the dental council but I would start with a letter to the dentist himself and just outline that you felt that this was an over-reaction on his part and that your mother simply made a joke....

OS

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Not condoning the dentists actions as you described it, but mentioning legal action in a doctors/ dentists/ is like talking about bombs in an airport.

Big_G

It's funny some of the things that patients say that they think are funny that fall completely flat....

However, no dentist should ever abuse a patient (much as I've wanted to do it in the past with some patients, I've never done it. I'm sure the lads here will enjoy me sayin that.)

I'll say what the others won't - Irish Dental Council, 57 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 Dental Council of Ireland. I would try the dentist first again, you never know, might just have been a rough day and he might apologise.

Dianthus

I suppose it depends on what you want to achieve: do you want a personal apology/explanation from the dentist, or are you talking about having him sanctioned by a professional body?
It's a shame that a simple accident has caused so much upset on both sides.
Whilst it sounds like the dentists' reaction to your mums' joke about not suing him may have been a bit OTT, it may have been that his initial apologising was out of genuine concern (a lawsuit being the last thing on his mind) and so may have got a complete shock that she was even half thinking along those lines, especially if he's had a longstanding working relationship with your mum. For all we know, he may be just as upset as your mum by the whole incident; he's human too!
Consider speaking/writing to him as a first line measure. Sometimes things get blown out of proportion the longer you brood over them.

flahavaj

Realistically the Dental Council are going to do nothing watsoever about a dentist snapping at someone. Contact the guy in question, I'm sure he would be more than happy to apologise if he knew your Mam was upset.

digzy

along with flavinj.........
as regards the dental council-you'll have to write a complaint, they'll fwd it onto dentist who will in turn have to draft a response. unless he/she's a complete inbicile will fwd the draft to the indemnity provider who will tweak it, mail it back and the dentist will return it to the dental council who will fwd it to you and that will be that.

net result, you'll have wasted your time writing letters and money on stamps and phone calls. it'll give the indemnity provider and dental council about 5 mins work so that they can justify their fees which we MUST pay.it'll waste about 30 mins of the dentist time.
the dentist/staff will think you're a complete knob and will no doubt tell his colleagues about you over a drink!

i've people 'joke' over suing over the years and i can safely say it doesn't go down well even though we have a contrived laugh about it. it makes me wary as it shows the mentality of the patient.
'it's often a true word is said in jest'

as regards the 'wallop'. I was looking at new dental chairs a few years back. They move at a snails pace so bar the noise if the instruments are rattled i cant imagine the experience was too traumatic.:rolleyes:

the dentist shouldn't be rude .if i'm a customer and come across someone rude i just take my business elsewhere. it's the most appropriate action in your case also unless you're happy with the dentist and just want to iron things out.

yobr

flahavaj wrote: »

Realistically the Dental Council are going to do nothing watsoever about a dentist snapping at someone. Contact the guy in question, I'm sure he would be more than happy to apologise if he knew your Mam was upset.

Perhaps at a minimum, the Dental Council could remind this dentist of Point 4, The Patient, from the Professional Behaviour and Dental Ethics, which is on the Dental Council website. Regardless of what a patient says, the responsibility to be polite (while you would expect the patient to be polite too) lies with the dentist not the patient.

The dentist should act correctly, sympathetically and in a courteous manner towards patients at all times.

http://www.dentalcouncil.ie/g_dentalethics.php

Seth Brundle

Thanks folks, I'll let her know all of this info.

ballsymchugh

yobr wrote: »

Perhaps at a minimum, the Dental Council could remind this dentist of Point 4, The Patient, from the Professional Behaviour and Dental Ethics, which is on the Dental Council website. Regardless of what a patient says, the responsibility to be polite (while you would expect the patient to be polite too) lies with the dentist not the patient.

The dentist should act correctly, sympathetically and in a courteous manner towards patients at all times.

http://www.dentalcouncil.ie/g_dentalethics.php

you might be presuming that the dental council is a big place where lots of stuff happens. it's just 2 people working in an extremely quiet basement office, probably spending more time online looking up shyte.
a friend of mine had a complaint made against him a few years ago to the dental council. while the cogs that digzy mentioned were turning, the patient called a few times to check the latest on his complaint.
eventually he was asked to stop calling as the receptionist felt harrassed!

yobr

ballsymchugh wrote: »

you might be presuming that the dental council is a big place where lots of stuff happens.

I'm well aware of the Dental Council and have met both the current and previous Registrar. It has 5 staff now.

ballsymchugh

yobr wrote: »

I'm well aware of the Dental Council and have met both the current and previous Registrar.

that's great!