A dental practice in the Stevenage area

4. Mr I complains about the care and treatment he received from the Practice between October 2024 and June 2025 regarding the extraction of his remaining teeth and the provision of dentures. He says he was misled about the treatment plan and whether the dentures he received were temporary or final.

5. Mr I says the Practice left him without teeth for around eight months following his extractions, causing him significant discomfort and distress. He also says he was given inconsistent information about the treatment timeline and expected outcomes, which left him unsure whether the dentures provided by the Practice were intended to be temporary or permanent. He believes the Practice failed to provide the agreed course of NHS treatment.

6. By bringing this complaint to us, Mr I wishes to obtain clarity about the treatment plan, an apology for the confusion surrounding the process, and an explanation of why he is being advised to see a privately funded dental specialist for what he believes should be a final set of dentures.

7. In October 2024, Mr I attended the Practice as an NHS patient seeking advice about his dental health. He was advised that most of his remaining teeth needed to be removed and dentures would be made after a six-month healing period following extraction.

8. The extractions were completed by December 2024 over several appointments.

9. Mr I returned to the Practice in May 2025. The dentist agreed to complete the work to fit the dentures and Mr I completed a consent form to proceed.

10. Mr I says the dentures fitted well, aside from one slightly long canine tooth. He returned to ask for this tooth to be adjusted, he says he was told the dentures were temporary and the Practice would not be providing a further set. He was advised instead to see a specialist.

11. Mr I raised a complaint with the Practice in September. In its response on 30 September, the Practice apologised for any distress Mr I experienced and outlined the treatment timeline.

12. On 28 October Mr I referred this complaint to us after being dissatisfied with the response.

Reasons for decision

13. On 1 October 2024, Mr I attended the Practice as an NHS patient seeking advice about his dental health. The dentist identified issues with his remaining teeth, including retained roots and decay, and advised that the majority would need to be removed. The dentist explained that after the extractions, time would be needed for the tissue and bone to heal to ensure the best fit for dentures.

14. The extractions were carried out in stages, with the final procedure completed by December 2024. During this time, Mr I was without teeth, as the dentist advised that dentures would not be provided until healing was complete.

15. Records from 27 May 2025 show Mr I attended a follow-up appointment at the Practice. The dentist recorded, ‘I advised {the} patient that I can only make one set {of dentures} on {the} NHS in a year, and I need to ensure full healing to get the best fit’. The Practice informed Mr I his healing was still insufficient and it advised his to return in three months’ time.

16. Mr I raised concerns about the delay in fitting dentures and the impact this was having on his professional life. Following discussions with the Practice Manager, the dentist agreed to proceed with making and fitting the dentures earlier than planned, despite advising that the healing process was incomplete.

17. The dentist asked Mr I to sign a consent form, which he did on 19 June 2025. The form outlined the limitations and risks of advancing treatment prematurely. Specifically, the form stated:

"I have been advised that my alveolar ridges have not fully healed and are not uniform, making this a difficult case for dentures. The final fit and occlusion of the denture cannot be guaranteed.

I have been made aware that there will be changes to my supporting tissues, which will make the denture loose. I understand that this is an NHS denture, which is a basic type of denture incurring a Band 3 cost (£326.70), which is non-refundable.

If the final denture does not fit well or if further changes occur in the future, it would be best to refer to a private specialist (Prosthodontist) as this is a complex case."

18. Shortly after signing the consent form, the Practice made and fitted Mr I’s dentures.

19. On 19 August 2025, Mr I returned to the Practice requesting adjustments to the dentures. The dentist’s notes from the appointment state the ‘patient advised best to find specialist when denture becomes loose’.

20. Mr I says the dentist told him during this appointment the dentures were ‘temporary’ and the Practice would not provide a further set under the NHS. The dentist advised Mr I to consult a private specialist for any further treatment or adjustments, if needed.

21. There are no corroborating notes in Mr I’s record that show the dentures were referred to as temporary.

22. While Mr I said he was broadly satisfied with the dentures’ fit, he believed the reference to them being ‘temporary’ contradicted the consent form he had signed. The form referred to a final set of dentures. He believes, as these were a temporary set, the final set were still to be made.

23. On 1 September 2025, Mr I submitted a formal complaint to the Practice. He raised concerns about whether the Practice had fulfilled its obligations under the agreed treatment plan. He also highlighted he was told his current dentures may only last 6–12 months. He believes this supports his view the set made by the Practice were a temporary set and not the final set as promised. He expressed dissatisfaction with being advised to consult a private specialist for further adjustments.

24. In its written response dated 30 September 2025, the Practice apologised for any distress caused and summarised the treatment provided. It clarified that the dentures fitted in June 2025 were the NHS-funded set. It explained references to the dentures being ‘temporary’ were linked to the risks associated with the Practice fitting Mr I’s dentures at his request before healing was complete.

25. The Practice confirmed at the August 2025 appointment it would only make one set of NHS-funded dentures for Mr I. Initially, the dentist had been reluctant to move forward with the denture fitting in June 2025 because doing so before full healing could compromise the long-term fit, making the dentures ‘temporary’.

26. Mr I signed a consent form, which clearly set out the risks of making the dentures while healing was incomplete. The consent form specifically stated, ‘the final fit and occlusion of the denture cannot be guaranteed’. It also noted, ‘if the final denture does not fit well or if further changes occur in the future, it would be best to refer to a private specialist as this is a complex case’.

27. Whilst we accept the dentist may have referred to the dentures it made as ‘temporary’, this reflects the fact advancing treatment while Mr I was healing made it likely the dentures’ fit would become loose as healing progressed. This was consistent with the warnings in the consent form. Based on the records, the reference to a ‘final’ set aligns with the Practice’s earlier confirmation that only one set of NHS-funded dentures would be made as part of the treatment plan.

28. The dentures provided by the Practice represent the only set the NHS dentist planned to make. Although they were likely to require future adjustments due to the incomplete healing process, making them temporary but this does not mean that the Practice has failed to complete the treatment plan outlined to Mr I, as it only agreed to make one denture.

Conclusion

29. We recognise the significant impact these events have had on Mr I, and we acknowledge the distress caused by his extended healing process and uncertainty about the treatment timeline.

30. Having reviewed all evidence, we do not conclude there was maladministration by the Practice. We hope this decision provides clarity on the events and reassures Mr I about the appropriateness of the steps taken by the Practice during his treatment journey.

1. We have carefully considered Mr I’s complaint about a dental practice in Stevenage (the Practice).

2. Mr I complains about the care and treatment during the provision of dentures. We are sorry to hear about the difficulties he has experienced. We recognise the impact of being without teeth for an extended period and understand how distressing the process has been for him. We appreciate the strength of feeling behind his complaint and his wish to receive answers about his treatment.

3. Having reviewed the available evidence, we do not consider that there is evidence of maladministration on the part of the Practice.