Private dental patients facing ‘broken’ complaints system, Which? warns

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It surveyed 1,009 patients who had experienced a problem in the previous two years.

Some 39 per cent felt costs were high, 22 per cent paid more than quoted and 21 per cent said pricing was unclear upfront.

A quarter were dissatisfied with the quality of treatment, with one in 10 reporting a direct clinical mistake.

About 16 per cent experienced “high-pressure tactics” and 11 per cent said they were “forced” onto monthly payment plans.

More than 60 per cent chose not to complain, with fear of damaging their relationship with their dentist and believing it would make no difference cited by 31 per cent.

Of those who did complain, nearly half received a verbal apology but no financial or clinical resolution.

Patients can approach the Dental Complaints Service, but it cannot award compensation for pain, distress or inconvenience and its recommendations are not legally binding.

Which? head of consumer protection policy Sue Davies said: “People paying hundreds or even thousands of pounds for dental treatment should have clear rights when something goes wrong, yet private patients can be left with nowhere meaningful to turn.”

British Dental Association chairman Eddie Crouch said the findings needed “perspective,” saying: “There is an elephant in the room here. The extraordinary growth of private dentistry is the direct consequence of successive governments failing to fix and fund NHS dentistry.

“Millions have few options because a core part of our health service has been left to wither.”