As a Dental Assistant, How to Handle Complaints
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James W Kelly
By James W Kelly
Published on September 23rd, 2008
Dental Assistants have to work hard to ensure the best treatment for their patients. They are often overburdened with the expectations of their patients and are unable to live up to them.
As a Dental Assistant, How to Handle Complaints
Dental Assistants have to work hard to ensure the best treatment for their patients. They are often overburdened with the expectations of their patients and are unable to live up to them.
Sometimes, patients lodge a complaint at the dental facility or even the State Dental Board if they are unhappy with the performance of the Dental Assistant.
The State Dental Board is held responsible for controlling and regulating all dental practices and they work their best in order to avoid any improper behavior by Dental Assistants, Dental Hygienists or Dentists.
The State Dental Board does not handle petty disputes, such as fee disputes, personality conflicts, rude behaviors or difficulty with scheduling appointments, but it does take any complaint regarding competence very seriously.
As a patient, if you have faced any sort of problem with a Dental Assistant, then it is of utmost importance for you to file a complaint at the State Dental Board as soon as possible, in order to get the desired action. Although one can file the complaint over the phone, through Internet or through a form at the State Dental Board, some states accept only a written complaint.
A Dental Assistant needs to be highly aware of the procedure involved if a patient lodges a complaint against him/her. It is required of a Dental Assistant to be very cooperative during such an investigation process. As a Dental Assistant, you can also take precautionary steps if you feel that a patient is likely to file a complaint.
In such a case, it is advisable that you write down all the information about the patient, the process, the problem and other witnesses. Such information can be extremely useful to you as well as the Board.
Although the Board tries its best to resolve the issue quickly, it does not compromise on the investigation procedures. The time it takes to resort a problem depends on the nature and extent of complaint. As soon as a complaint is lodged, the Board immediately sends a copy of the complaint to the concerned Dental Facility.
The Dental Facility is then required to respond back to the Board within a specific given time period. After the response as well as the complaint has been reviewed thoroughly, the Board decides on a plan of action. Generally, the parties involved and the witnesses are interviewed and questioned.
This is mostly done by a panel. If it is proved that there has been a violation in the dental laws, a hearing is scheduled.
If the Dental Assistant is found guilty of violation of any dental law, then he/she is issued a reprimand by the Board. The extent and the conditions of the reprimand depends on the extent of violation and the state guidelines.
Although it cannot have any form of monetary compensation in its conditions, it may have other provisions, such as issuing a letter of apology, temporary suspension, probation, or even absolute revocation of the Dental Assistant’s license.
As a Dental Assistant it is your responsibility to follow all the rules and regulations regarding a complaint properly. It is of utmost importance to resolve out any doubts whatsoever by consulting your dental facility and also to take their help and guidance if you are getting anxious or panic-struck due to the complaint.
Following all the procedures and policies increase your chances of winning such complaints and loosing such a complaint can drastically affect your career.
Sometimes, patients lodge a complaint at the dental facility or even the State Dental Board if they are unhappy with the performance of the Dental Assistant.
The State Dental Board is held responsible for controlling and regulating all dental practices and they work their best in order to avoid any improper behavior by Dental Assistants, Dental Hygienists or Dentists.
The State Dental Board does not handle petty disputes, such as fee disputes, personality conflicts, rude behaviors or difficulty with scheduling appointments, but it does take any complaint regarding competence very seriously.
As a patient, if you have faced any sort of problem with a Dental Assistant, then it is of utmost importance for you to file a complaint at the State Dental Board as soon as possible, in order to get the desired action. Although one can file the complaint over the phone, through Internet or through a form at the State Dental Board, some states accept only a written complaint.
A Dental Assistant needs to be highly aware of the procedure involved if a patient lodges a complaint against him/her. It is required of a Dental Assistant to be very cooperative during such an investigation process. As a Dental Assistant, you can also take precautionary steps if you feel that a patient is likely to file a complaint.
In such a case, it is advisable that you write down all the information about the patient, the process, the problem and other witnesses. Such information can be extremely useful to you as well as the Board.
Although the Board tries its best to resolve the issue quickly, it does not compromise on the investigation procedures. The time it takes to resort a problem depends on the nature and extent of complaint. As soon as a complaint is lodged, the Board immediately sends a copy of the complaint to the concerned Dental Facility.
The Dental Facility is then required to respond back to the Board within a specific given time period. After the response as well as the complaint has been reviewed thoroughly, the Board decides on a plan of action. Generally, the parties involved and the witnesses are interviewed and questioned.
This is mostly done by a panel. If it is proved that there has been a violation in the dental laws, a hearing is scheduled.
If the Dental Assistant is found guilty of violation of any dental law, then he/she is issued a reprimand by the Board. The extent and the conditions of the reprimand depends on the extent of violation and the state guidelines.
Although it cannot have any form of monetary compensation in its conditions, it may have other provisions, such as issuing a letter of apology, temporary suspension, probation, or even absolute revocation of the Dental Assistant’s license.
As a Dental Assistant it is your responsibility to follow all the rules and regulations regarding a complaint properly. It is of utmost importance to resolve out any doubts whatsoever by consulting your dental facility and also to take their help and guidance if you are getting anxious or panic-struck due to the complaint.
Following all the procedures and policies increase your chances of winning such complaints and loosing such a complaint can drastically affect your career.