Prevent, avoid, stop! Cutting out complaints in a changing world

09:05-09:15 Chair’s introduction

09:15-10:15 Not all patients are the same!

• Developing a high-level understanding of communicating well
• Understand your different audiences and the most effective style of communication, taking different factors of influence (demographic, social, technological), into consideration
• Tailoring communication to be appropriate for the situation

Kevin Lewis, Special Consultant, BDA Indemnity

10:15-10:45 What happens when a patient complains?

• What type of complaints land with the Dental Complaints Service (DCS)?
• What happens when a patient complains to the DCS?
• Gain an insight to the ‘before’ and ‘after’.

Michelle Williams, Head of Operations, Dental Complaints Service – has been invited

10:45-11:05 Refreshments and networking

11:05-11:50 Managing conflict in the workplace and creating a healthy culture

• Conflict within the practice team – conflict vs drama
• Creating a more balanced, efficient (and happier) practice environment to reduce dento-legal risk
• Recruitment and retention.

Lisa Bainham, Practice Management Coach, Practice Management Matters

11:50-12:20 Mastering the dental patient journey: navigating each step and avoiding potholes

• Creating a positive patient journey from start to finish and understand why it matters
• The importance of interaction and personable customer care.
• Motivating and helping teams to deliver an outstanding experience.

Lisa Bainham, Practice Management Coach, Practice Management Matters

12:20-12:40 Discussion/practical session: Responding to complaints on social media

• The risks and ‘rules’ for social media
• Responding to negative comments made online, in the right way
• Top tips for optimal use of social media to avoid or mitigate complaints.

Lisa Bainham and Susie Sanderson OBE, Dento-legal advisor, BDA

12:40-13:40 LUNCH

13:40-14:20 Patient knowledge and expectations

• Managing expectations of treatment outcomes and the overall patient experience
• What level of knowledge does the patient have and how does that impact the situation?

Clare Lawrence, Dento-legal Advisor, BDA

14:20-14:50 Part 1 - Resolving complaints before they escalate

• Complaints are best kept within the confines of the practice
• Refunding fees can often be done without any admission of liability
• Look out for the red flags which spell danger

14:50-15:10 Part 2 - Resolving complaints, how and when to use your indemnifier

• Ensure your complaints policy works for you!
• Indemnifiers do not have crystal balls – you need to provide them with all the relevant information
• Do not tell complainants that you are contacting your indemnity organisation.

Joe Ingham, Dento-legal Advisor, BDA Indemnity

15:10-15:25 Refreshments and networking

15:25-16:10 Practical section: What does body language have to do with it?!

• Explore positive body language
• Facing difficult conversations with confidence
• Building rapport with patients and within teams
• Let’s be practical – understand how emotional intelligence can be your greatest tool.

Lisa Bainham

16:10-16:55 Practical scenarios and discussion led by BDA Indemnity

• So you think this situation is going to escalate….what now?
• What is going on and is it important?

BDA Indemnity team

16:55-17:25 Patients vs consumers? Practical tips for surviving and thriving in the new world of dentistry

Kevin Lewis, Special Consultant, BDA Indemnity

17:25  Closing comments/End of event

Lisa participates in all aspects of practice management and has earned an accolade of awards during her career. She has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience over her last 28 years as a practice manager and is now supporting other practice managers in her role as Chair of The Association of Administrators and Managers. Lisa is also Director of her own dental training and consultancy business, Practice Management Matters, helping other practices thrive and create award winning teams and services. Lisa prides herself on walking the talk, providing relevant, practical advice that dental teams can relate to.

Joe spent 28 years in general practice and for eight of those was the dental practice advisor for Berkshire. He tutored at the Eastman Dental Hospital’s School of Hygiene and Therapy for 17 years and spent a decade as a dento-legal advisor with one of the large mutual defence organisations. 

Joe has a particular interest in the legal aspects of prescribing within the dental setting.

Clare has more than 20 years of experience as a dentist, working in both primary and secondary care. She became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and gained her diploma in Conscious Sedation from Guys before joining the Oral Surgery specialist list in 2008.

Having worked in the dento‐legal field for the last eight years, she has continued her interest in the law and became a member of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine, going on to complete the diploma in forensic medical science. Clare is committed to pursuing proper and fair outcomes for her dental colleagues in all manner of dental complaints, claims, regulatory and disciplinary processes and advice cases.

Kevin started out as a full time general dental practitioner before becoming involved in the dento-legal field in 1989. Over the next 27 years he served on the Boards of Directors of first, Dental Protection and later the Medical Protection Society (MPS), worked internationally as Dental Director for 18 years and a member of MPS's senior management team (Executive) until 2016. Since 2018 he has been a Special Consultant to the BDA in relation to BDA Indemnity.

For 25 years from 1981 to 2006, Kevin was the Associate Editor of Dental Practice. Since then Kevin has continued his regular columns as the Consultant Editor of Dentistry and in several other publications in and around dentistry. He has lectured and written regularly all over the world, having been an invited speaker at nine FDI World Dental Congresses and a guest speaker at the conferences of 18 national dental associations.  Uniquely, he has been awarded honorary membership of the British, Irish and New Zealand Dental Associations.

He is an Honorary Member of the British Society for Restorative Dentistry, a Founder and member of the Board of Trustees for the College of General Dentistry (2017-2022) and continues to serve as an Ambassador for the College.

Susie was a general dental practitioner for 36 years and a practice owner for most of that time. She is a BDA Past President and chaired the BDA's Executive Board and the UK Conference of LDCs. She is currently the Speaker of the General Assembly of the FDI World Dental Federation. 

Susie represents the BDA on the UK Health Security Agency's collaborative group on dental antibiotics (ESPAUR) and is a member of the FDI's Prevention AMR and Infections Working Group.  

Susie has a master's degree in medical law (LLM) from Cardiff University and is a fellow of the Faculty of Forensic Law and Medicine. She has worked for 9 years as a dento-legal adviser and has all round experience in dealing with complaints, regulatory, disciplinary, advice and claims cases.