PRACTICE POLICY & PATIENT INFORMATION

Practice Policy and

Patient Information Leaflet

Practice Details

Practice Name (NHS Contractor): Scarborough Dental & Implant Clinic
Partners Mizan Miah & Mohamad Aziz

Address:
Scarborough Dental & Implant Clinic
21 Falsgrave Road,
Scarborough,
YO12 5EA

Telephone: 01723 818584

Website: www.scarboroughdentalimplantclinic.com

Email: info@scarboroughdentalimplantclinic.com

Our Dental Team

Our experienced team includes dentists, dental hygienists, dental nurses, treatment coordinators and reception staff dedicated to providing exceptional patient care.

Our Dental Care Professionals include:

Qualified Dental Hygienists
Qualified Dental Nurses
Treatment Coordinators
Reception Team

All dentists and Dental Care Professionals are registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) and undertake continuing professional development (CPD) to maintain and enhance their knowledge and skills. Current registration details are available at www.gdc-uk.org

Principal Dentist & Implant Surgeon
Dr Mizan Miah BDS MFDS RCSEd, 1 Year training in Paul Tipton Implantology GDC – 176298

Principal Dentist & Invisalign Dentist
Dr Mohamad Aziz BDS BSc(Hons) (Public Health) GDC – 176484

Dentist
Dr Aadil Malik BDS, PGDip Orthodontics, Msc Implantology GDC - 290986

DFT Dentist
Matthew Handley - GDC 337947

Practice Manager
Hannah McDowell

Assistant Practice Manager
Mica Ambler

Registered Dental Nurses
Alona Decontamination Lead - GDC 276834
Amy - GDC 307928
Antonia Treatment Coordinator – GDC 315990
Caitlin Treatment Coordinator – GDC 315123
Jasmine – GDC 322379
Larissa - GDC 315289
Sofia - GDC 310568

Reception
Beth Lead Receptionist & Sterilisation Nurse

Our Services

We provide a comprehensive range of dental services including:

Routine dental examinations
Emergency dental appointments
Dental hygiene services
Fillings
Crowns
Bridges
Dentures
Root canal treatment
Tooth extractions
Teeth whitening
Composite bonding
Invisalign®
Dental implants
Full arch implant rehabilitation
Cosmetic smile makeovers
Digital dentistry including intraoral scanning
CBCT scanning
Digital radiography
Treatment Coordinator consultations
Finance options with Tabeo

Facilities

Our practice offers:

Modern six-surgery dental practice
Digital X-rays
3D CBCT Scanner
Intraoral Scanner
Wheelchair accessible consultation areas
Step free access to two surgeries
Accessible toilet
Disabled parking available at the rear of the practice
Comfortable patient lounge

Opening Hours

Our current opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5:00pm, we close for lunch between 1pm and 2pm.

Late evening and selected Saturday appointments may be available by appointment.

Out of Hours Care

If you require urgent dental advice outside our normal opening hours, please telephone the practice and follow the recorded instructions.

For urgent NHS dental advice, contact:NHS 111

Telephone: 111

Website: https://111.nhs.uk

Patient Rights & Responsibilities

We ask our patients to:

Attend appointments promptly.
Give at least 24 hours' notice if cancelling.
Treat our team with courtesy and respect.
Keep personal and medical information up to date.
Follow clinical advice provided by your dentist.

You have the right to:

Be treated with dignity and respect.
Receive clear explanations of your treatment options.
Be involved in decisions about your care.
Ask questions about your treatment.
Request a written treatment plan and estimate.
Request to see a particular clinician where availability allows.

Your Personal Information

We take your privacy seriously.

Your personal information is stored securely and handled in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Information is only shared:

With healthcare professionals involved in your care.
When required by law.
With your consent.

You may request access to your dental records at any time.

A copy of our Privacy Notice is available on request and on our website.

Patient Feedback

We value your comments and suggestions. You can provide feedback by

Speaking with a member of staff
Completing a patient feedback form
Emailing the practice
Leaving an online review

Your feedback helps us continually improve our service.

Staff Training

Our team undertakes regular professional training to ensure we continue providing safe, effective and high-quality dental care.

Training includes:

Medical emergencies
Safeguarding
Infection prevention and control
CPR
Radiation protection
Data protection
Health & Safety
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Integrated Care Board

Our local NHS Integrated Care Board is:

Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board

Health House
Grange Park Lane
Willerby
Hull
HU10 6DT
Telephone: 01482 672156

Website: https://humberandnorthyorkshire.icb.nhs.uk

Email: hnyicb.contactus@nhs.net

Payment Policy

Our practice is committed to providing the best treatment to our patients, but due to an increase in the number of patients failing to attend appointments and treatment not being paid for we kindly ask for full payment at point of booking for treatment. We kindly asking that any banded treatment which falls under Band 2 or Band 3 is paid for in full at the tie of booking the treatment appointment.

A non-refundable deposit of £50 is taken when booking your private appointment. The deposit is used towards your final treatment fee but cannot be refunded if you fail to attend your appointment. Denplan patients do not need to pay the £50 deposit when booking their twice-yearly examinations but would need to pay the deposit when booking further treatment.

We accept cash, debit card and credit card. Please note we are unable to accept American Express and cheques.

If your treatment plan requires work to be carried out by an external provider such as a dental laboratory, we will ask you to pay a deposit in advance to cover the associated costs before your treatment can begin.

We understand that circumstances can change and that you may decide not to proceed with your treatment. However, once the work has been requested and the associated fees have been paid to the provider, these costs are non-refundable.

Exemptions

Please note that if you do not pay for your dental treatment and have an exemption you are responsible for ticking the correct box on the exemption form.

Reception staff will not be able to help you with this.

Please make sure you know what exemption you receive before you attend your appointment.

Marking the incorrect exemption may result in a fine from the NHS.

Accessibility

We aim to make our practice accessible for everyone,

We provide:

Disabled parking
Ground floor access where possible
Assistance for patients with mobility needs
Easy Read information
Makaton communication guides
Patients are welcome to wear headphones during treatment
Additional appointment time can be arranged for anxious patients or those requiring extra support.

If you have any specific requirements, please let us know before your appointment. Please let reception know if you need a downstairs surgery with step free access.

Late Arrivals

Scarborough Dental & Implant Clinic aim to always have satisfied patients. We understand that circumstances can prevent patients arriving to their appointment on time.

It is at the dentist’s discretion as to whether you will be seen if you arrive late to your appointment. Please be aware that you could be waiting anywhere up to an hour if you choose to wait when you arrive, and your appointment time has already passed.

The dentist will endeavour to see you as soon as possible. If patients are booked in for treatment they may be asked to rebook as the dentist needs the full amount of time to complete the treatment. Health professionals are required to share information about missed appointments and repeated cancellations for the benefit and safeguarding of children. Other people we may inform of any concerns include the child’s family doctor (GP), school nurse, health visitor and/ or the dentist (or other professional) who referred you to us.

Failing to attend appointments

Patients are requested to give at least 24 hours notice to cancel a dental appointment. Cancellations should be made by telephone on 01723 818584.

There is a fee for private dental appointments that are missed or cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice. The fee is based on the length of the appointment.

It is our aim to telephone or write to patients after a missed appointment to understand the reason for non-attendance and to inform them about any fee or decision about their NHS dental care. We understand that cancellations are sometimes unavoidable due to illness or emergencies and we will take account of all valid circumstances.

Any appeals about missed or cancelled appointment decisions by a patient should be made in writing to the practice manager, Hannah McDowell.

Denplan Patients

The missed appointment fees which apply to our Private Patients, as stated above, will also apply to all Denplan Patients.

Please refer to your Denplan Care or Denplan Essentials Handbook under ‘The Care/Essentials Contract between you and your dentist’ (Point 10):

“You are responsible for keeping appointments made with your dentist and you must pay any missed appointment fee should you fail to do so. You must ensure that you also attend your dentist for regular examinations, receive the treatment your dentist advises, and you must promptly inform you dentist of any injury, problem or other material matter affecting your oral health. If you fail to ensure any of this you will be liable to pay any fee reasonably charged for treatment necessary to restore your oral health, which could otherwise have been avoided.”

If a patient doesn't attend for two years, we reserve the right to remove the patient from the practice.

Please note, appointment reminders are provided out of courtesy, not necessity. All patients are to make a note of appointment dates and times. It is your responsibility to turn up on time for an appointment. Failure of the reminder system for any reason is not sufficient reason for failing to attend or turning up too late for treatment.

Health professionals are required to share information about missed appointments and repeated cancellations for the benefit and safeguarding of children. Other people we may inform of any concerns include the child’s family doctor (GP), school nurse, health visitor and/ or the dentist (or other professional) who referred you to us.

NHS Patients

If a patient fails to attend an appointment or cancels without 24 hours’ notice twice within a 24 month period the patient will be informed that they will no longer have access to treatment at the practice.

Patient medical history

Please ensure that ALL medications you are taking are written on your medical history form.

All parts of the medical history form are to be filled out at each visit, including your registered GP practice and emergency contact.

Personal details

Please let reception know if you have changed any of your personal details since your last visit.

Up to date email addresses are essential if you would like to benefit from our courtesy email reminder service, if you are unsure if we have your current contact details feel free to ask at reception.

Consent

Patients who call to discuss their appointments or any other aspect of their personal file must do so themselves.

Patients who would like a member of their family or a friend to have consent to adjust appointments or discuss a patient’s treatment must fill in a consent form or fill in the section in the patient’s medical history, naming the person they have given consent to.

If there is not a consent form signed staff will only be able to discuss personal details with the patient themselves.

Consent from a parent is needed for children under 18. If a grandparent or other relative is to make decisions on behalf of the patient a consent form is to be filled in by the legal guardian.

Under 16’s

Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian for all dental appointments.

Parental consent is required before any dental procedure can be carried out, including x-rays.

Please note that siblings or guardians under the age of 18 cannot give consent on behalf of another patient.

Private appointments

A non-refundable deposit of £50 is taken when booking your private appointment. The deposit is used towards your final treatment fee but cannot be refunded if you fail to attend your appointment.

Booking appointments

When booking an appointment you will be offered the next available appointment with the next available dentist, unless you are having on going treatment in which case you will see the same dentist until your next routine exam.

If you request to see a specific dentist please be aware that this can drastically increase your waiting time.

Dental chair & patient weight limit

We wish our patients to be aware of our limitations in providing care to those over a certain weight limit. Our dental chairs cannot operate above their maximum weight capacity of 21 stone (approximately 133 kilos) without posing risk to both the patient and staff. Our Practice and its Staff have both a duty of care to all patients and a legal obligation under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to operate in a safe environment.

Using any equipment outside the limits and recommendations of the manufacturer can invalidate public and employee liability insurance, and there may be no recourse against either the manufacturer or the patient for any breakage or failure.

We recognise this is a sensitive subject and are fully aware of our obligations when it comes to accommodating patients of larger size and ensuring there is access to dental care.

Scarborough Dental & Implant Clinic will not be obstructive to patients exceeding the weight limit accessing care:

NHS Yorkshire and Humber has provided general dental practices with a referral pathway to provide care for patients who exceed the weight limit of our dental chair; the Community Dental Referral Pathway. If you are above the safe limit for treatment, you can be referred to this service for on-going care. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

Use and disposal of amalgam

We follow a strict policy for the safe use and disposal of amalgam within the practice. This includes ensuring the correct mixing procedure is followed and using the appropriate equipment to handle and remove excess volumes of the material.

Clinical waste is treated appropriately, with teeth containing amalgam being segregated, stored and sent for the correct recovery and disposal in labelled waste tubs.

Statement of purpose

We aim to provide a service that delivers the highest quality of care to all patients. We will not discriminate on grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religious beliefs, age or disability. The patient’s safety and wellbeing will always be our primary concern.

We will provide a service that promotes preventative techniques with regards to oral health. All dental treatment will be provided in accordance with current theory and evidence-based practice and we will always opt for the minimally invasive option where possible.

Our service will lead to improved dental health of the local community.

Zero tolerance policy

We treat our patients with courtesy and respect and ask for the same in return. We ask that you treat your Dentist, Nurse and all other Practice Staff courteously without violence, abuse or harassment.

Dentists and their staff have the right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. Any behaviour whether that be verbal, physical or in writing, which causes staff to feel uncomfortable, embarrassed or threatened, is totally unacceptable.

The Zero Tolerance policy includes abuse, aggression or threats made in person, over the telephone or in written communication, including on social media. The Practice considers threatening behaviour to be

Attempted or actual aggressive, threatening or physical actions made towards any member of staff
The use of aggressive, threatening or abusive language, (including raising of the voice, swearing, shouting or in writing) which threatens or intimidates staff

This policy applies throughout the premises. It also applies to any employee or partner away from the practice but only in so far as it relates to the business of the practice.

Any instance or threat of physical abuse will be reported to the police. The offender will be removed from the premises by the police. The patient will then be removed from the practice list.

Instances of abusive/threatening behaviour from a patient will be reported to the Practice Manager. Breach of the Zero Tolerance policy will result in their removal from the Practice list.

We hope you understand the reason for this policy which is designed to always keep our staff and other patients safe.

Patient Complaints Procedure (G110C)

Our commitment to you

We are committed to providing a high standard of care and service. If you are unhappy with any aspect of your experience, please let us know so we can put things right.

We take all concerns and complaints seriously. We will:

Listen and treat you with respect
Handle your complaint fairly and confidentially
Keep a record of the concern and use feedback to improve our service

Raising a concern or complaint will not affect your ongoing care or treatment.

How to raise a concern or complaint

You can share your concern or make a complaint in a way that suits you:

Speak to us in person or call: 01723 818584
Write to us at: 21 Falsgrave Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 5EA
Email: info@scarboroughdentalimplantclinic.com
Online: www.scarboroughdentalimplantclinic.com

The person responsible for managing complaints is the Practice Manager, Hannah McDowell.

If your concern relates to the Practice Manager/Registered Manager, you can speak to any member of our team, who will ensure it is passed to the appropriate person. Alternative arrangements are in place to ensure your concern is handled fairly.

If you prefer, you can ask someone to raise a complaint on your behalf, such as a family member or representative.

What happens next?

We will acknowledge your concern

We aim to acknowledge your complaint as soon as possible, and not later than 3 working days after we receive it.

At this stage, an offer to discuss your complaint will be provided. This is a chance for you to understand:

How your complaint will be handled
The investigation period
When a response can be expected
You may choose whether to have this discussion or decline it.

Early Resolution

Where possible, we aim to resolve your concern quickly.

Investigation

If your concern is more complex or cannot be resolved straight away, we will carry out a full investigation.

We will:

Look into your concerns fairly and carefully
Keep you updated on progress (usually every 10 days)
Our response

After investigating your complaint, we will write to you to explain:

What we have looked at
What we found
Any action we have taken or will take

We aim to respond as soon as possible, and not later than 6 months, unless we have agreed on a different timeframe with you. If there are any delays, we will let you know and explain why.

Time limits for making a complaint

It is usually helpful to raise your complaint:

Within 12 months of the event, or
Within 12 months of becoming aware of the issue

If you contact us after this time, we will still consider your complaint, but we may not be able to resolve it if it cannot be investigated fairly and effectively due to the time that has passed.

If you are not satisfied

We hope to resolve your concerns, but if you remain unhappy, you can obtain further support from:

The Parliamentary Health Ombudsman (Complaints regarding NHS treatments)
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Web: https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/

Dental Complaints Service (Complaints regarding Private treatments)
Tel: 020 8253 0800
Web: https://dcs.gdc-uk.org/

The Care Quality Commission (Concerns about the practice)
Tel: 0300 616161
Web: https://www.cqc.org.uk/contact-us/how-complain/complain-about-service-or-provider

General Dental Council (Concerns about a Dental Professional)
Tel: 020 7167 6000
Web: https://www.gdc-uk.org/raising-concerns/public-protection-issues-and-concerns-about-dental-professionals

Support is also available for concerns relating to financial matters. Please speak to a member of staff for further details.

Complaints Handling Policy M 233-COM(E)

This policy outlines how concerns and complaints are handled within the Practice, supporting an open, transparent and effective approach in line with GDC standards.

Hannah McDowell has been appointed as the ‘Responsible Person’, who ensures compliance with the relevant regulations and that actions are taken where necessary.

Hannah McDowell has been appointed as the ‘Complaints Manager’, responsible for the day-to-day handling and management of concerns raised.

If a complaint is made about the Complaints Manager, it can be directed to the Practice Owner, who will handle it independently, ensuring they do not influence or participate in the process.

Where a concern relates to the Responsible Person/Complaints Manager, who is the same person, a deputy Mica Ambler will oversee the complaint to ensure impartial handling.

Our complaints procedure is on display in all waiting rooms.

A summary of our procedure is also available in our Patient Information Leaflet, and on our website in line with GDC advertising standards.

Feedback and complaints handling framework

This practice has developed a framework for managing complaints and feedback based on these principles:

All patient feedback is important to us
We want to make it easy for patients to raise a concern or complain if they need to
We follow a complaints procedure and keep patients informed
We will try to answer all patient questions and any concerns you raise
We want patients to have a positive experience of making a complaint
Patient feedback helps us to improve our service

Recognising complaints

Our team are aware that complaints are any expression of dissatisfaction about a dental service or treatment. Complaints can be raised verbally, in writing, or electronically and concern any part of the service we provide.

Anyone who has received a service from the practice can raise a complaint. This also includes representatives of a person where it relates to a child, someone who has died, or someone who is unable to complain themselves due to a lack of capacity or incapacity.

Where a representative is acting on behalf of a child or person who lacks capacity, the Practice considers whether it is appropriate for the complaint to be made by the representative rather than by the child or person themselves. If the Practice is unable to consider the complaint on this basis, the representative is notified in writing, with an explanation of the reasons why.

Consideration may be given to whether a complaint can be progressed in circumstances where it is raised outside the usual 12-month timeframe from the date the matter occurred or the date the complainant was made aware of it, and where it is no longer possible to investigate the matter fairly and effectively.

Handling complaints

The practice team is trained to resolve all complaints promptly, efficiently and politely by following the process below:

Complaint received
Complaint acknowledged
Discussion offered
Early resolution or investigation
Response issued
Complaint recorded and reviewed
All concerns are handled fairly and without discrimination.

Acknowledging complaints

The Practice aims to acknowledge all complaints as soon as possible, and in any event within 3 working days of receipt. Acknowledgement can be provided verbally or in writing. If responding verbally, a follow-up letter confirming the details is sent.

At the point of acknowledgement, an offer to discuss the complaint is provided at an agreed time. The purpose of the discussion is to:

Explain how the complaint will be handled
Confirm the period during which the investigation will be completed
Advise when a response following the investigation can be expected
Complainants may decline the offer of a discussion. In doing so, the Practice will determine the response period and notify the complainant of this in writing.
Concerns are managed in a calm, professional, and open manner, with a focus on listening and understanding the individual raising the concern.

Early Resolution

The Practice aims to resolve all complaints as soon as possible. More complex complaints that cannot be resolved quickly are investigated.

Investigation

Where an investigation is required, the concern is thoroughly and proportionately reviewed, with regular updates provided throughout the process, at least every 10 days in line with GDC expectations.

Response timescales

A written response is provided following an investigation, which includes:

How the concern has been considered

The conclusions reached and practical solutions where possible

Any actions taken or planned

Responses are issued as soon as possible and, no later than 6 months after receipt, unless otherwise agreed with the complainant.

Where this is not achievable, an update is provided to the complainant in writing, explaining the reasons why, and when a response can be expected.

For NHS-funded services: All written responses are signed by the ‘Responsible Person’.

Advocacy support

If a patient is not satisfied despite our best efforts to resolve the complaint, other avenues of support are provided, such as:

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) – Support resolving NHS complaints

Dental Complaints Service (DCS) – Support with private treatment complaints

Care Quality Commission (CQC) – Concerns about how the practice is run

General Dental Council (GDC) – Concerns about a dental professional

Financial Ombudsmen Service – Concerns about financial arrangements

Recording complaints

All complaints are recorded using the iComply Digital Event Record / HTML Event Record (G 110A) and Event Register (G 110B) with all correspondence or investigation details stored with the Record.

Complaint Records are always treated as confidential and kept separate from clinical records. Access is limited to authorised persons.

Training

The team are trained in managing complaints during induction and throughout the year at regular team meetings. All GDC-registered team members are expected to have completed CPD training in complaint handling as recommended by the GDC.

Complaint monitoring

The complaints system is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains effective. This includes:

Reviewing trends and themes
Monitoring response times
Auditing records and outcomes
Gathering feedback from patients

The team is involved in reviewing complaints, complaint procedures, and management, so that services, policies, and procedures can be continually improved.

For NHS-funded services: We submit an annual complaints report to NHS England via our integrated care board (ICB) in line with our legal obligations and will make it available to any person who requests it.

If requested by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), we will provide a summary of our complaints, responses and any other related correspondence within 28 days of the request.

Where a complaint is subject to independent review, the Practice cooperates fully, including providing relevant information and supporting any investigation.

Online reviews

The practice assigns a team member to regularly monitor online reviews. All feedback, both positive and negative, is acknowledged and responded to professionally and courteously.

Practice Policy & Patient Information

Practice Policy and

Patient Information Leaflet​

Patient Information Leaflet