South-East tops table for private dentist complaints

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A report from independent watchdog the Dental Complaints Service said more than four in 10 protests were from patients in the capital and South-East - a total of 623. Yet roughly one in four of the population lives in the region - making the complaint ratio far higher than elsewhere.

Nationally, more than 1,500 people made formal complaints about their private dentist. Taking London alone, the figure was 257. People were concerned about poorly fitted crowns, cost, and attitude of dentists.

This is the first time private complaints have been handled by a single body. The number is expected to rise as more people hear about the scheme. The Dental Complaints Service was set up last year amid fears patient concerns were being ignored.

Most cases are sent back to the practice for resolution and dentists are asked to apologise to the patient or refund treatment. At least £138,000 was given back to patients nationally.

Only 16 cases were sent to a review panel because mediation failed.

Most complaints were dealt with in three days. "Speed is crucial. The longer it takes to resolve, the less likely it is to be resolved satisfactorily," said the service chair Derek Prentice.

Almost one in three Londoners now visits a private dentist.

However the number of protests over private work still is dwarfed by complaints over NHS dentistry. In London alone, there were more than 1,200 complaints about NHS practitioners in the year to April.