Dental practice did not follow guidance when it removed a patient from its list

What happened

Mr A was unhappy with several aspects of how the Practice operated and had complained about this. The Practice removed Mr A from its list of patients because he failed to go to appointments, but he felt it was because he had complained. Mr A only found that he had been taken off the list when he tried to make an appointment. He then had difficulty in finding another dentist.

What we found

Mr A's attendance was poor and in these circumstances the Practice was acting within General Dental Council guidance by removing him from its list. There was no evidence that his removal from the list was because Mr A had complained. However by not writing to Mr A to tell him of its decision to remove him, or by explaining how to find a new dentist, the Practice did not follow General Dental Council guidance.

Putting it right

The Practice wrote to Mr A to apologise for not following the appropriate guidance and paid him just over £50 for the inconvenience and distress this caused him.