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Private Dentist Complaint
If you are unhappy with private dental treatment, raise it with the practice first, informally or using its formal complaints procedure. If that does not work, the Dental Complaints Service can help resolve it and may support discussions leading to a refund or remedial treatment. NHS treatment complaints go through the NHS.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Complaining
The Route
Raise the complaint with the practice (informally or through its formal procedure). For private treatment, contact the Dental Complaints Service, which can help resolve the issue and support discussions that may lead to a refund or remedial treatment. For NHS treatment, use NHS complaints (NHS England in England), and then the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. source
Your Rights for Services
Care and Skill
Services must be performed with reasonable care and skill (Consumer Rights Act 2015); if not, you can ask for the work to be redone or a price reduction, and go straight to a price reduction if redoing is impossible, takes too long or causes significant inconvenience. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- Practice firstComplain to the dental practiceThen the Dental Complaints Service
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Write down what treatment you had, when, and what went wrong.
Step 2 of 5
Complain to the practice. Our free letter templates can write it for you.
Step 3 of 5
Ask for its formal complaints procedure.
Step 4 of 5
For private treatment, contact the Dental Complaints Service.
Step 5 of 5
For NHS treatment, use the NHS complaints process.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
The Dental Practice
Complain here first.
Dental Complaints Service
Private treatment.
NHS Complaints
NHS treatment, then the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Ask for your dental records: they help your complaint.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- gdc-uk.org/raising-concerns/how-to-get-a-refund-or-make-a-complaint Checked 13 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/complain-about-a-service Checked 13 October 2026