There have been approximately 2,293 complaints* made regarding dental care to the NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across England in the tax year 2024-2025.
We sent Freedom of Information requests to 42 NHS ICBs to find out the number of formal complaints made about dental care across England.
The number of formal complaints about dental care by ICB (Tax year 2024/2025)
Out of the 40 ICBs, which responded with the requested information, NHS Greater Manchester ICB had received the highest number of complaints, standing at 221.
The Integrated Care Boards released breakdowns of the common complaints which were made pertaining to dental care, with a number of ICBs providing ranges for particular breakdowns.
| Formal complaints pertaining to dental care by ICB (Tax year 2024/2025) | |
| Integrated Care Board | Number of formal complaints about dental care in tax year 2024/25 |
| NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board | 221 |
| NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board | 203 |
| NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board | 131 |
| NHS North East London Integrated Care Board | 118 |
| NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board | 113 |
| NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board | 111 |
| NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board | 100 |
| NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board | Max: 93, Min: 61 |
| NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board | 88 |
| NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board | 80 |
| NHS Devon Integrated Care Board | 76 |
| NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board | 74 |
| NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board | 74 |
| NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board | Max: 72, Min: 60 |
| NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board | 70 |
| NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board | 67 |
| NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board | 67 |
| NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board | Max: 65, Min: 56 |
| NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board | 49 |
| NHS South East London Integrated Care Board | 48 |
| NHS South West London Integrated Care Board | 42 |
| NHS North West London Integrated Care Board | 37 |
| NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board | 36 |
| NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board | 36 |
| NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board | 32 |
| NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board | 22 |
| NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board | 18 |
| NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board | 16 |
| NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board | 16 |
| NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board | 16 |
| NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board | Max: 16, Min: 4 |
| NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board | 15 |
| NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board | 14 |
| NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board | 12 |
| NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board | 12 |
| NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board | 10 |
| NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board | 9 |
| NHS Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board | 8 |
| NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board | 5 |
| NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board | 1 |
‘Min’ denotes the minimum number of complaints made about dental care under this ICB, with ‘Max’ denoting the maximum number. These complaints are given in a range due to some breakdown figures stating ‘under X figure’, due to low figures and to protect identities.
Formal complaints pertaining to dental care: ICB breakdowns (Tax year 2024/2025)
Dental complaints to NHS Greater Manchester ICB
- Treatment: 76 complaints
- Behaviour: 63 complaints
- Appointment / Waiting Time: 35 complaints
- Access to services: 23 complaints
- Communication: 14 complaints
- Informed Consent: 8 complaints
- Medication: <5 complaints
- Admission / Transfer / Discharge: <5 complaints
- Total : 221 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB
- Access & Waiting: 134 complaints
- Safe, High Quality Co-ordinated Care: 50 complaints
- Building Closer Relationships: 11 complaints
- Better Info, More Choice: 6
- Other Issue: 2 complaints
- Total: 203 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Mid and South Essex ICB
- Access to treatment/drugs: 43 complaints
- Patient Care: 36 complaints
- Other: 18 complaints
- Commissioning: 12 complaints
- Appointments: 10 complaints
- Values & Behaviour of staff: 7 complaints
- Communication: 4 complaints
- Waiting time: 1 complaint
- Total: 131 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS North East London ICB
- Clinical treatment (inc errors): 31 complaints
- Charging/costs: 30 complaints
- Treatment not available: 11 complaints
- Appointment (Obtaining inc 0844 numbers): 10 complaints
- Appointment availability/Length: 9 complaints
- Care Planning: 8 complaints
- Removal from list: 6 complaints
- Practice Management: 4 complaints
- Communications: 3 complaints
- Staff attitude/behaviour/values: 2 complaints
- Delay in failure to refer : 1 complaint
- Equipment (Quality): 1 complaint
- Refusal to visit: 1 complaint
- Waiting time for appointment: 1 complaint
- Total: 118 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB
- Clinical care received: 53 complaints
- Access to dental services: 34 complaints
- Out of Area Dental services: 8 complaints
- NHS/111 Emergency treatment: 8 complaints
- Requests for refund: <5 complaints
- Private dental treatment: <5 complaints
- Discrimination: <5 complaints
- Dental charges: <5 complaints
- Referrals: <5 complaints
- Total: 113 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB
- Clinical Care: 45 complaints
- Communication: 16 complaints
- Access to services: 15 complaints
- Charges: 10 complaints
- Appointment: 8 complaints
- Removal from practice list: 8 complaints
- Staff attitude: 7 complaints
- Confidentiality Breach: 1 complaint
- Medical Records: 1 complaint
- Total: 111 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB
- Dental treatment and care related: 48 complaints
- Lack of access to NHS dentist: 12 complaints
- Dental practice removed patient: 9 complaints
- Dental – NHS Dental Cost: 5 complaints
- Dentist waiting time for appointment: 3 complaints
- Dental not related to treatment and care: 1 complaint
- Manner and attitude of practice staff: 1 complaint
- Lack of information to progress complaint: 1 complaint
- Total: 80 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB
- Access and Waiting- Appointments including delays and cancellations: <5 complaints
- Access and Waiting – Commissioning Services: <5 complaints
- Access and Waiting – Other: 15 complaints
- Behaviour & Attitude – Other: <5 complaints
- Clinical Care – Access to treatment or drugs (including decisions made by Commissioners): <5 complaints
- Clinical Care – Commissioning Services: <5 complaints
- Clinical Care – Communications: <5 complaints
- Clinical Care – Other: <10 complaints
- Communication – Other: <5 complaints
- Other – Commissioning Services: <5 complaints
- Other – Other: 37
Dental complaints to NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB
- Relating to dental practises: 52 complaints
- Relating to the lack of NHS dental provision: 36 complaints
- Total: 88 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Somerset ICB
- Lack of NHS dental provision in Somerset: 44 complaints
- NHS dental practices in Somerset: 36 complaints
- NHS dental practice complaints include:
- Clinical treatment
- Charging / costs
- Communication
- Removal from NHS List
- Delay in referral
- Treatment not available
- Total: 80 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Devon ICB
- Top three complaints themes were:
- ‘Access to services’
- ‘Procedure and process’
- ‘Communication’
- Total: 76 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS North Central London ICB
- Treatment Issues: 6 complaints
- Charges / Fees: 5 complaints
- Appointment issues: 5 complaints
- Removal from List: Exempt from disclosure
- Referral issues: Exempt from disclosure
- Follow Up issues: Exempt from disclosure
- Issues with the premises: Exempt from disclosure
- Staff attitude: Exempt from disclosure
- Total: 74 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB:
| Year | Category | Count |
| 2024-25 | Access to appointments / NHS Dental services* | 53 |
| 2024-25 | Unhappy with Care and Treatment Provided** | 21 |
| Total | 74 |
*includes
Unable to access NHS Dentist = 26 complaints
Difficulty accessing urgent or emergency NHS dental treatment = 6 complaints
Complaints about being removed from a practice or clinic closures = 6 complaints
**includes
Concerns about unnecessary procedures, pain, or ineffective care = 6 complaints
Other categories and breakdowns were withheld from disclosure into the public domain by virtue of the exemption set at section 40(2).
Dental Complaints to NHS Northamptonshire ICB
- General dentist access: 8 complaints
- Dental treatment: < 5 complaints
- Orthodontist treatment: < 5 complaints
- Unknown – lack info/consent/retracted: 8 complaints
- Dental charges: < 5 complaints
- Dental records access: < 5 complaints
- Orthodontist access: 40 complaints
- Total: Max: 72, Min: 60
Dental complaints to NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB
- Access to dental services/treatment: 22 complaints
- Quality of dental treatment: 21 complaints
- Cost/charges/fees: 3 complaints
- Providers/contract issues: 11 complaints
- General dentistry concerns: 7 complaints
- Medication: 2 complaints
- Emergency dental treatment: 2 complaints
- Specialist treatment: 2 complaints
- Total: 70 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB
- Patient Care: 20 complaints
- Access to treatment: 11 complaints
- Administration / Practise Management: 11 complaints
- Communications: 10 complaints
- Other: 8 complaints
- Charges: 7 complaints
- Total: 67 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Kent and Medway Icb
- Total: 67 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Sussex ICB
- Appointment Availability/Length: 6 complaints
- Charging/ Costs: 6 complaints
- Clinical Treatment (inc Errors): 34 complaints
- Communications: < 5 complaints
- Removal from List: < 5 complaints
- Staff Attitude/Behaviour/Values: 7
- Commissioning Services: < 5 complaints
- Total: Max: 65, Min: 56
Dental complaints to NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB
- Charges & Costs: 9 complaints
- Administration/Process: 5 complaints
- Deregistration/Removal: 3 complaints
- Referral Issues: 5 complaints
- Wait Times for Treatment: 3 complaints
- Cancellations: 6 complaints
- Care & Treatment: 11 complaints
- Access to NHS Services: 4 complaints
- Attitude of Staff: 2 complaints
- Estates Issues: 1 complaint
- Total: 49 complaints
Dental complaints NHS South East London ICB
Complaint themes:
- Access / appointments
- Attitude of staff
- Charging / costs
- Communication / information
- Complaints handling
- Referral
- All aspects of care and treatment
- Total: 48 complaints
Dental complaints to South West London ICB
- Referral process: 1 complaint
- Access to services: 2 complaints
- Administrative Issues: 2 complaints
- Agreement only for partial payment: 1 complaint
- Appointments; cancelled/Cancellations: 3 complaints
- Attitude of staff: 1 complaint
- Availability of services: 2 complaints
- Breakdown in communications: 1 complaint
- Care & Treatment: 9 complaints
- Communication/communication style: 4 complaints
- Delays in service: 1 complaint
- Invoice: 1 complaint
- Not for ICS: 1 complaint
- Quality of Service: 12 complaints
- Reimbursement: 1 complaint
- Total: 42 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS North West London ICB
- Care Planning: 1 complaint
- Appointment availability/length 5: complaints
- Charging/Costs: 4 complaints
- Communication: 1 complaint
- Clinical Treatment: 21 complaints
- Delay in Referral: 1 complaint
- Refusal to Refer: 2 complaints
- Removal from List: 1 complaint
- Discrimination: 1 complaint
- Total: 37 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICB
- Clinical Treatment (inc Errors): 10 complaints
- Removal from List: 10 complaints
- Appointment Availability/Length: 6 complaints
- Staff Attitude/Behaviour/Values: 3 complaints
- Communications: 3 complaints
- Disability Issues (Access etc): 1 complaint
- Commissioning Services: 1 complaint
- Issues with Appointments: 1 complaint
- Delay in Failure to Refer: 1 complaint
- Total: 36 complaints
Dental complaints NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB
- Access to treatment or drugs (including decisions made by Commissioners): 23 complaints
- Clinical treatment – Dental group: 10 complaints
- Appt delays/cancellations: 1 complaint
- Other: 2 complaints
- Total: 36 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB
- Appointment Availability/Length: 9 complaints
- Equipment (Quality): 1 complaints
- Clinical Treatment (including Errors): 7 complaints
- Staff Attitude/Behaviour/Values: 2 complaints
- Other: 13 complaints
- Total: 32 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Gloucestershire ICB
- Unable to access NHS dentist/lack of services: < 6 complaints
- NHS charging/disputes charges: < 6 complaints
- NHS orthodontic service: < 6 complaints
- NHS Treatments/provision of services: 11 complaints
- NHS cancellation of appointments: < 6 complaints
- Seeking compensation: < 6 complaints
- Total: 22 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Black Country ICB
Complaint themes:
- Appointments
- Appointment Availability/Length
- Care Planning
- Charging/Costs
- Clinical Treatment
- Communications
- Delay failure to refer
- Inaccurate/Incorrect Records
- Practice Management
- Refusal to Refer
- Total: 18 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB
- Clinical Treatment (including errors): 4 complaints
- Charging/ Costs: 6 complaints
- Commissioning Services: 3 complaints
- Removal from List: 1 complaint
- Care Planning: 1 complaint
- Follow-up Care: 1 complaint
- Total: 16 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB
- Quality of Dental work: 9 complaints
Lack of treatment: 7 complaints - Total: 16 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB
- Concern about dental treatment received: 4 complaints
- Concern about dental treatment received and costs: 3 complaints
- Concern about dental treatment received and the professional behaviour of the dentist: 2 complaints
- Concern about patient registration / being pushed towards private dental treatment: 3 complaints
- Concern about orthodontic care: 2 complaints
- Professional behaviour of staff other than a dentist: 2 complaints
- Total: 16 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Frimley ICB
- Planning: < 5 complaints
- Charging/Costs: < 5 complaints
- Clinical Treatment (incl Errors): < 5 complaints
- Communications: < 5 complaints
- Total: Max: 16, Min: 4
Dental complaints to NHS Lincolnshire ICB
- Complaint categories:
- Waiting Times
- Clinical Treatment (inc Errors)
- Care Planning
- Commissioning Services (Dental access)
- Charging/ Costs
- Delay in Failure to Refer
- Appointment Availability/Length
- Communications
- Appointment (Obtaining inc 0844 numbers)
- Waiting Time for Appointment
- Follow-up Care
- Treatment Not Available
- Staff Attitude/Behaviour/Values
- Removal from List
- Total: 15 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB
Complaint categories:
- Appointment (Obtaining inc 0844 numbers)
- Appointment Availability
- Care Planning
- Charging/ Costs
- Clinical Treatment (inc Errors)
- Communications
- Follow-up Care
- Staff Attitude/Behaviour/Values
- Total: 14 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB
- Access to services: 7 complaints
- Charges: 2 complaints
- Clinical Care: 3 complaints
- Total: 12 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB
- Access to Appointments: 2 complaints
- Clinical Care/Treatment: 1 complaint
- Access to Services: 2 complaints
- Poor Communication: 1 complaint
- Referral Issues: 2 complaints
- Payment/Charges: 1 complaint
- Funding Issues: 2 complaints
- Failure to Follow Procedure: 1 complaint
- Total: 12 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB
- Access to treatment, drugs or services: 5 complaints
- Communication: 1 complaint
- Values & Behaviour: 1 complaint
- Clinical Treatment: 2 complaints
- Appointment Availability: 1 complaint
- Total: 10 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Coventry and Warwickshire ICB
Complaint categories:
- Appointments
- Charging/Costs
- Clinical Treatment
- Communications
- Delay failure to refer
- Inaccurate/Incorrect Records
- Total: 9 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB
- Total: 8 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB
- Access to service: 2 complaints
- Care and treatment provided: 3 complaints
- Total: 5 complaints
Dental complaints to NHS South Yorkshire ICB
- Total: 1 complaint
The number of dentistry complaints received by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (2020-2025)
A further 1,771 dentistry complaints were made to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman in the tax year 2024 to 2025.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman makes the final decision on unresolved complaints about NHS England.
These make up part of 8,702 complaints made to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman between 2020 and 2025.
| Dentistry Complaints received by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (2020-2025) | |
| Financial year | Number of dentistry complaints received |
| 2024-2025 | 1,771 |
| 2023-2024 | 2,023 |
| 2022-2023 | 1,982 |
| 2021-2022 | 1,874 |
| 2020-2021 | 1,052 |
The number of complaints the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has received in the tax year 2024-2025 has increased by 68% from the tax year 2020-2021.
However, there has been a 12% decrease in recorded complaints from the tax year 2023/24, compared to the tax year 2024/25.
It’s important to note that following a detailed investigation, not all of these complaints will be upheld.
The number of dentistry negligence claims lodged against NHS trusts in the past 5 years
We sent an additional Freedom of Information request to NHS Resolution to find out how many dentistry negligence claims have been lodged against NHS trusts in the past five years.
These relate to dental claims in a secondary care setting covered by the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST) and do not include independent sector providers (ISPs).
| CNST Claims and Incidents received where the speciality is ‘Dentistry’ between tax years 2020/21 and 2024/25 | |
| Year of Notification | Number of Claims |
| 2020/2021 | 74 |
| 2021/2022 | 43 |
| 2022/2023 | 66 |
| 2023/2024 | 47 |
| 2024/2025 | 53 |
| Grand Total | 283 |
Over the past 5 years, there have been 283 dentistry claims received, with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust receiving the most claims, standing at 21.
This is followed by Birmingham Community Healthcare, with 19 dentistry complaints lodged, and Guy’s and St.Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust with 11 dentistry complaints lodged.
It’s important to note that larger member organisations and those which provide more complex treatments may receive more claims than smaller organisations or those providing low-risk care.
| CNST Claims and Incidents received where the speciality is ‘Dentistry’ between tax years 2020/21 and 2024/25 (By NHS Trust) | |
| NHS Trust | Number of Claims |
| Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | 21 |
| Birmingham Community Healthcare | 19 |
| Guy’s and St.Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust | 11 |
| King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 10 |
| Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 8 |
| Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 8 |
| Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust | 7 |
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | 7 |
| Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (The) | 7 |
| Barts Health NHS Trust | 6 |
| University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Foundation Trust | 6 |
| The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | 6 |
| Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust | 5 |
| George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust | 5 |
| Somerset NHS Foundation Trust | 5 |
| London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust | 5 |
| Trusts with less than 5 claims | 147 |
| Grand Total | 283 |
The most common primary causes for dentistry claims
A failure or delay in treatment was the most common reason for dentistry claims, with 93 lodged in the past 5 years.
This is followed by inappropriate treatment, with 39 claims, and a failure to warn to receive informed consent, with 22 claims.
| CNST Claims and Incidents received where the speciality is ‘Dentistry’ between tax years 2020/21 and 2024/25 (By Primary Cause) | |
| Primary Cause | Number of Claims |
| Fail / Delay Treatment | 93 |
| Inappropriate Treatment | 39 |
| Fail to warn – Informed Consent | 22 |
| Intra-Op Problems | 20 |
| Failure / Delay Diagnosis | 17 |
| Wrong Site Surgery | 16 |
| Operator Error | 14 |
| Equipment Malfunction | 8 |
| Failure to Interpret X-Ray | 8 |
| Specific primary cause not released due to low figures and possibility for identification | 46 |
| Grand Total | 283 |
The most common primary injuries for dental claims
The most common injury for dentistry claims in the past 5 years is dental damage, with 120 claims. This is followed by unnecessary pain, with 50 claims, and nerve damage, with 29 claims.
| CNST Claims and Incidents received where the speciality is ‘Dentistry’ between tax years 2020/21 and 2024/25 (By Primary Injury) | |
| Primary Injury | Number of Claims |
| Dental Damage | 120 |
| Unnecessary Pain | 50 |
| Nerve Damage | 29 |
| Additional /Unnecessary Operation(s) | 19 |
| Burn(s) | 14 |
| Infection (Bacterial) | 8 |
| Specific primary cause not released alongside respective figures due to low figures and possibility for identification | 43 |
| Grand Total | 283 |
The number and cost of settled dentistry claims
In the past 5 years, 203 dentistry claims have been settled, at a total cost of £9,861,213, with £3,642,236 paid in damages, and a further £6,218,978 paid in legal fees.
In the last tax year (2024/25), 31 dentistry claims were settled, costing £1,284,812, with £388,563 paid in damages and £896,249 paid in legal fees.
| Number and cost of CNST Claims Closed between 2020/21 and 2024/25 with a damages payment, where the speciality is ‘Dentistry’ | |||||
| Year of Closure | Number of Claims | Damages Paid | NHS Legal Costs Paid | Claimant Legal Costs Paid | Total Paid |
| 2020/21 | 33 | £793,420 | £306,546 | £914,914 | £2,014,880 |
| 2021/22 | 50 | £763,285 | £245,112 | £1,146,916 | £2,155,313 |
| 2022/23 | 49 | £896,914 | £193,198 | £962,435 | £2,052,546 |
| 2023/24 | 40 | £800,054 | £219,813 | £1,333,795 | £2,353,662 |
| 2024/25 | 31 | £388,563 | £130,549 | £765,700 | £1,284,812 |
| Grand Total | 203 | £3,642,236 | £1,095,218 | £5,123,760 | £9,861,213 |
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust has settled 12 claims in the past 5 years, which is the highest number out of all NHS trusts. This has cost a total of £854,774, £414,533 of which are damages, with £440,242 paid in legal fees.
| Number and Cost of CNST Claims Closed between 2020/21 and 2024/25 with a damages payment where speciality is ‘Dentistry’ | |||||
| NHS Trust | Number of Claims | Damages Paid | NHS Legal Costs Paid | Claimant Legal Costs Paid | Total Paid |
| Trusts with less than 5 claims | 146 | £2,490,545 | £715,787 | £3,504,531 | £6,710,863 |
| Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | 12 | £414,533 | £90,146 | £350,096 | £854,774 |
| King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 11 | £139,965 | £36,601 | £240,797 | £417,363 |
| Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (The) | 9 | £164,460 | £17,091 | £187,400 | £368,951 |
| Birmingham Community Healthcare | 7 | £108,038 | £38,565 | £307,561 | £454,164 |
| Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 6 | £84,387 | £6,946 | £61,500 | £152,833 |
| Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 6 | £174,075 | £167,223 | £345,526 | £686,824 |
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | 6 | £66,233 | £22,859 | £126,350 | £215,442 |
| Grand Total | 203 | £3,642,236 | £1,095,218 | £5,123,760 | £9,861,213 |
The highest number of dentistry claims settled in the past 5 years, where damages have been paid, has been for a failure or delay in treatment, with 55 claims.
This has cost a total of £2,384,662. Of this figure, £835,984 was paid in damages, with a further £1,548,678 in legal fees.
| Number and Cost of CNST Claims Closed between 2020/21 and 2024/25 with a damages payment, where the Specialty is ‘Dentistry’ | |||||
| Primary Cause | Number of Claims | Damages Paid | NHS Legal Cost Paid | Claimant Legal Costs Paid | Total Paid |
| Fail / Delay Treatment | 55 | £835,984 | £245,976 | £1,302,702 | £2,384,662 |
| Inappropriate Treatment | 24 | £562,614 | £159,123 | £612,900 | £1,334,637 |
| Intra-Op Problems | 20 | £503,123 | £284,165 | £625,324 | £1,412,620 |
| Fail to warn – Informed Consent | 20 | £384,750 | £102,664 | £632,037 | £1,119,450 |
| Operator Error | 16 | £259,376 | £75,401 | £469,950 | £804,727 |
| Wrong Site Surgery | 16 | £157,078 | £12,522 | £200,434 | £370,034 |
| Failure / Delay Diagnosis | 10 | £102,511 | £50,195 | £268,350 | £421,056 |
| Equipment Malfunction | 9 | £97,250 | £12,358 | £103,250 | £212,858 |
| Specific primary cause not released alongside respective figures due to low figures and the possibility of identification | 170 | £739,550 | £152,814 | £908,723 | £1,801,169 |
| Grand total | 203 | £3,642,236 | £1,095,218 | £5,123,760 | £9,861,213 |
In terms of settled dentistry claims, with damages, in the past 5 years, the highest number was about dental damage, with 71 claims, at a total cost of £2,829,453.
| Number and Cost of CNST Claims Closed between 2020/21 and 2024/25 with a damages payment, where the Specialty is ‘Dentistry’ (By Primary Injury) | |||||
| Primary Injury | Number of Claims | Damages Paid | NHS Legal Costs Paid | Claimant Legal Costs Paid | Total Paid |
| Dental Damage | 71 | £1,081,539 | £288,804 | £1,459,110 | £2,829,453 |
| Unnecessary Pain | 36 | £484,591 | £163,797 | £783,047 | £1,431,436 |
| Nerve Damage | 31 | £743,247 | £124,463 | £874,532 | £1,742,242 |
| Additional / Unnecessary Operation(s) | 23 | £328,351 | £225,539 | £721,588 | £1,275,478 |
| Burn(s) | 14 | £153,250 | £25,483 | £206,010 | £384,743 |
| Scarring | 6 | £37,000 | £7,464 | £103,222 | £147,686 |
| Specific primary injury not released alongside respective figures due to low figures and possibility for identification | 22 | £814,258 | £259,668 | £976,251 | £2,050,175 |
| Grand Total | 203 | £3,642,236 | £1,095,218 | £5,123,760 | £9,861,213 |
Further to these claims settled with damages, there have been an additional 116 dentistry claims settled or closed in the past 5 years, where no damages were paid.
If you’ve experienced dental negligence, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Call our friendly lawyers for free on 0330 107 5322 for more information.
Note
*Due to 4 IBC’s retracting figures for breakdowns, due to low figures and the possibility for identification, a range has been given with the total maximum number of complaints across the ICBs being 2,293 and the minimum totalling 2,228.