Have your say about SA Dental Service

The South Australian Dental Service aims to provide you with the best services possible within its available resources.

Your comments are welcome.

Compliments

Did we provide you with a service that you really liked? If so, we'd love to hear from you because your comments let us know we're on the right track to providing helpful services.

Improvement ideas

Did we provide you with a service that you think could be improved? We'd like to hear your ideas on how we can improve our services.

Complaints

Did we provide you with a service that didn't meet your expectations?

If you want to make a complaint, it is best to discuss the problem with staff involved when the issue first arises or ask to speak with your Local Operations or Hospital Unit Manager.

Usually staff will be able to take some steps to quickly address your concerns.

However sometimes:

  • the issue can't be dealt with immediately
  • we might need to get more information before we can respond to your complaint
  • you might ask to see or be contacted by a manager
  • you might like to think about what you want to say and then call and speak with someone, or write to us about your complaint.

Whatever you choose to do, you need to know that:

  • you're welcome to have a friend or relative with you when you discuss your complaint
  • you won't be disadvantaged because you've made a complaint.

Complaint review

If you have made a complaint and you feel that it hasn't been dealt with properly, or you are not happy with the results, you can write to the Executive Director, SA Dental Service and ask for the situation to be reviewed.

If you've tried every avenue of resolving your complaint within SA Dental Service and you're still not satisfied with the outcome, you can phone the Health and Community Service Complaints Commissioner's Office (HCSCC) on 8226 8666 or toll free from SA country landline on 1800 232 007 or write to them at PO BOX 199 Rundle Mall SA 5000.

If your complaint is about a private dental practitioner, contact the Australian Dental Association, who may be able to help where the practitioner is an Association member.  Phone 8272 8111 or write to them at PO Box 858 Unley SA 5061.

If your complaint is about the unprofessional conduct or performance of any dental practitioner, you can contact the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Phone 1300 419 495 or write to them at AHPRA, GPO Box 9958 Adelaide, SA 5000.

Contacting us

Whether you want to:

  • pass on a compliment
  • give us an improvement idea
  • make a complaint

you can:

  • telephone or write directly to the relevant clinic or program area
  • complete our online feedback form
  • email your comment to us at HealthSADSPublic@sa.gov.au
  • use TTY (if you are hearing and/or speech impaired) on (08) 8222 8390
  • fax us on (08) 7117 0014
  • download and complete a Client Feedback Form (PDF 40KB) - or you can get a form from your local clinic or the Adelaide Dental Hospital
  • write to the SA Dental Service GPO Box 864 Adelaide South Australia 5001 or telephone us on (08) 7117 0052.

Do you need some help to contact us?

If for any reason you feel that you can't properly explain your ideas or concerns, or you need some help to deal with an issue, talk with clinic staff who may be able to assist.  If needed, they can also organise an accredited interpreter for you, including an Auslan interpreter if required.