Contact Us
Address
Hillcrest Dental, Bickington Road, Barnstaple, EX31 2DB
Opening Hours
Mon – Fri / 9.am – 5.pm
Lunch time / 1.pm – 2.pm
Common causes of Dental Emergencies:
Severe Pain, Broken Tooth/Filling, Broken Denture, Lost Crown/Veneer, Lost Tooth, Bleeding or Swelling.
If you are suffering from any of these emergencies please read the following guidance.
Registered patients are advised to call the practice during opening hours on 01271500001. Out of hours calls can find an emergency number on our recorded message.
If you have swelling that is starting to affect your breathing or vision you should immediately attend A&E.
If you have excessive bleeding apply gentle pressure to the wound by biting on a clean cloth or a used and cold tea bag.
When you call, please provide as much detail as possible about the emergency. This information will help us prepare for your arrival and provide the best possible care. Depending on the nature of your emergency, we may advise you to come to the clinic immediately or provide instructions for temporary relief until your appointment.
Our Commitment:
- Prompt Response: We aim to respond quickly to all emergency calls.
- Emergency Appointments: We reserve time slots daily for emergency cases.
- Professional Care: Our experienced dental team is prepared to handle various dental emergencies with care and professionalism.
Complaints Procedure
It is our aim to always have satisfied patients, to meet your expectations of care and service, and to resolve any complaints as efficiently, effectively, and politely as possible. We take complaints very seriously, investigating them in a full and fair way, and take great care to protect your confidentiality. We learn from complaints to improve our care and service. We will never discriminate against patients who have made a complaint and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have about this procedure.
We understand how stressful a situation is when people feel that they should raise a complaint, therefore, we are aiming to resolve the issue as fast as possible.
If you are not entirely satisfied with any aspect of our care or service, please let us know as soon as possible to allow us to address your concerns promptly. We accept complaints made verbally as well as written complaints.
Jayne Isaac is our Complaints Manager at the time of printing this leaflet and she will be your personal contact to assist you with any complaints. We aim to resolve verbal complaints within 24 hours where possible, but if you complain in writing the Complaints Manager will send an acknowledgement letter within 3 working days and will aim to provide a full response in writing as soon as possible after her investigation of your complaint has been completed.
You can file your verbal complaint by calling us on 01271 500001
In case you are willing to file a written complaint, then you can contact us via conventional post by sending your letter to Hillcrest Dental, Bickington Road, Barnstaple, North Devon, EX31 2DB ,or via email sending it directly to our Complaints Manager on [email protected].
If the Complaints Manager is unavailable, we will take brief details about the complaint and will arrange for a meeting when it is suitable for you and the practice. We will keep comprehensive and confidential records of your complaint, which will be stored securely and only be accessible to those who need to know about your complaint. If the complaint investigation takes longer than anticipated, the Complaints Manager will contact you at least every ten working days to keep you informed of the reason for any delays, the progress of the investigation, and the proposed date it is expected to be completed.
When the investigation has been completed, you will be informed of its outcome in writing. We will make our response clear, addressing each of your concerns as best as we can. If necessary, you will also be invited to a meeting to discuss the results and any practical solutions that we can offer to you. These solutions could include replacing treatment, refunding fees paid, referring you for specialist treatments, or other solutions that meet your needs and resolve the complaint.
We regularly analyse patient complaints to learn from them and to improve our services. That’s why we always welcome any feedback, comments, suggestions, and complaints. If you are dissatisfied with our response to a complaint, you can take the matter further. Please see the relevant contact details below. If you are dissatisfied with our response to a complaint, you can contact the GDC private dental complaints
service within 12 months of the treatment or within 12 months of becoming aware of the issue.
Contacts
GDC private dental complaints service can be contacted by calling 020 8253 0800 or visiting www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk.
If you are still unhappy about your NHS complaint, you can contact: Parliamentary Health Ombudsman (England): by calling 0345 015 4033 or visiting www.ombudsman.org.uk
You can also contact: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) who regulates private and NHS dental care services in England by calling 03000 616161. They can take action against a service provider that is not meeting their standards
The General Dental Council is responsible for regulating all dental professionals. You can complain using their online form at www.gdc-uk.org, contact them at [email protected], or by calling 020 7167 6000.