A new report from Queensland's independent health watchdog shows dental complaints could be reduced if more dental practitioners adhered to existing standards, policies and guidelines. The report, Teething problems - a spotlight report on complaints about dental care in Queensland explores what patients, families and carers have told the Health Quality and Complaints Commission (HQCC).

The HQCC received 855 dental complaints between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2011, accounting for 12% of all of the healthcare complaints they received in the same period.

The most frequently reported concern in complaints about dental care was treatment (accounting for 80% of complaints), followed by communication and information; fees, costs and rebates, access and environment/facility management.

Dental treatment complaints cited concerns about inappropriate/inadequate and unsuccessful treatment, unexpected treatment outcomes and complications, inadequate prosthetic equipment (most frequently ill-fitting or faulty dentures), ineffective coordination of dental treatment and diagnosis problems.

• 80 per cent of dental complaints were about treatment.
• 78 per cent of dental complaints were about private sector dental services.
• 75 per cent of complaints about dental services were about dental care provided in private group or sole practices.
• 88 per cent of complaints identifying an individual practitioner were about dentists, followed by dental prosthetists with 8 per cent.
• 15.5 per cent of complaints were about dental care provided under the Medicare Chronic Disease Dental Scheme or the Medicare Teen Dental Plan.
• 16 dental practitioners received four or more complaints between 2009 and 2011.