The words to use
- Shared goal
- The outcome both sides want, such as a patient's comfort or a list that runs on time. Naming it turns an argument into joint problem-solving.
- Validation without concession
- Agreeing that a feeling makes sense without agreeing to facts you cannot check. "I can see why you're upset" is safe; "you've been overcharged" may be untrue.
- Escalation
- Taking a concern further when it cannot be settled locally. GDC standards: employer or manager first, then the commissioner or a regulator such as the CQC, then the GDC.
- Dental Complaints Service
- Where private patients can go if their practice has not resolved a complaint. NHS patients use the NHS route; serious concerns about a professional go to the GDC.
