Receiving a complaint in your foundation training year can be incredibly distressing. You are at a point in your career where you are already questioning your capabilities, learning new things every day, and trying to change from being a safe beginner to an independent practitioner.

At the start of your foundation training, your confidence is low, as you rely on the guidance of your educational supervisor to help you blossom over the year. Receiving a complaint like this so early on completely knocked the little confidence that I had. I questioned my own capabilities, whether I had potentially done something wrong during this check-up, and even whether I deserved to graduate.

I immediately called DDU for advice, especially concerned with the fact that the Christmas holidays were fast approaching. Thankfully the DDU was always able to answer my phone calls or questions in a timely manner, regardless of the holiday status. The DDU really held my hand throughout the whole process, advising me on what to do, reassuring me, and helping me draft replies to the GDC and also to Health Education England. Given I was in the middle of my foundation year, I had to not only talk to the GDC about my conduct, but also Health Education England, adding to the workload for the DDU and also to my stress.

My family and educational supervisor were of great emotional support, helping me through one of the toughest periods of my life. I continued working during the investigation, eager to not allow this to stop me from finishing my foundation training year. If it wasn't for the constructive guidance that DDU gave me, I would have been incredibly lost. I was embarrassed to tell anyone about the complaint and therefore relied heavily on the DDU and my family for support. They never let me down, and even pushed me to take this complaint as a learning experience and use it to improve my dentistry as opposed to hindering me.

Eventually the case was closed by the GDC a few months later with no repercussions. I finished my foundation training year, fulfilling all my requirements and secured a job as an associate a few months later.

Coping with a complaint

Coping with a complaint banner ad 1

Coping with a complaint