Dental receptionist - Was there any need for this?

[applesandorangejuice]

Hi everyone, I've just had a very unpleasant phone call with the receptionist at my dentists office. I've been with them for a few years now. I know how lucky I am to have a dentist, especially with the NHS and as such I've never cancelled, rescheduled or been late to an appointment.

Anyway, I've had terrible tooth ache since Monday night. I've been monitoring it, taking painkillers and hoped it would go away on its own. This particular tooth can be sensitive at times, however it hasn't stopped on this occasion and seems to be getting worse.

I phoned the dentist this morning to ask for an appointment and before I'd even had a chance to finish my sentence/explain what was wrong, the receptionist cut me off and said "well it's no good phoning now, why didn't you phone on Monday?" I replied "Ok, well I wanted to see how I got on. The tooth can be sensitive sometimes and the pain never usually lasts this long". She ignored me and offered me an appointment on Monday.

I'm travelling for work on Monday and had totally forgot so I apologised and said "I'm so sorry, Monday is the only day I can't do because I have a work trip and I can't cancel it at such short notice, do you have any other days available?". She then said, quite sarcastically "we don't, no. Look I've offered you an appointment on Monday and you don't want it". I told her it wasn't because I didn't want it (of course I want to get it sorted) but that I was going to be 6 hours away and couldn't come without cancelling the entire trip. She then managed to find me another slot on Wednesday.

I'm very grateful for the appointment obviously, but was there any need for this attitude/unpleasantness? I know how much shit nurses/receptionists put up with from patients at times. But this woman just seemed gunning for an argument as soon as she answered the phone.

There was no need at all.

The receptionists at my dentist are brilliant so I’d like to think yours was just having a bad day!

I do think you should have called sooner. Calling with a dental emergency that started on Monday after waiting until Friday when you can’t be seen until the following Wednesday is a bit risky from a health perspective. There is a difference between the feeling of a sensitive tooth versus a toothache.

Anyway, I agree the receptionist was being a bit short with you, but it’s not something I would complain about. I would take her at her word though and not wait so long next time. You could have called Tuesday and likely seen the dentist by end of today (Friday).

Incredibly rude and unreasonable. I would complain.

It's completely normal to go through a few options of appointment times before finding one that works.

And you don't need to be 'grateful' for the appointment. If you are a UK citizen you are entitled to NHS dental care, regardless of whether or not it's currently hard to find a dentist etc. It is a basic standard of care and respect that we should all have.

You're also entitled to not be spoken to like a child.

She's rude and unprofessional. Why are you questioning this? What reason could you come up with that would 'justify' her comments to you?

You don't need to go on so much about being grateful. You're a registered patient and you have the right to an appointment. The practicalities of when that appointment is are another thing. The fact that dentists can be scarce and it can be difficult to get appointments doesn't make you getting a medical appointment some sort of favour they're doing you. In the broader sense, you're also a service user and should be treated politely.

There's no good her saying 'why didn't you call on Monday?' on the Friday. Does she have a time machine handy?

Sadly this is typical of crap customer service these days and partly explains why customers/patients can sometimes be snappy back. It's a two way street. The likes of receptionists often contribute to why some customers become annoyed, sarcastic, etc., but would have been perfectly reasonable and polite had the receptionist/shop assistant etc been reasonable and polite themselves in the first place. You reap what you sow!. Obviously, we all know that a minority of customers will be obnoxious and aggressive however good and polite and helpful the receptionist is, but that is the minority. I don't accept that it's a good reason why receptionists and other customer facing staff take the unhelpful and arrogant attitude even for customers who are nothing but polite and respectful!

@Precipice

The fact that dentists can be scarce and it can be difficult to get appointments doesn't make you getting a medical appointment some sort of favour they're doing you.

Sadly that's exactly how far too many NHS receptionists see it - it's the old "you should be grateful for crumbs" attitude which is far too prevalent within the NHS.

Agreed, but honestly if a receptionist spoke to me like this I would put them in their place.

Taxpayers pay their salary - they work for the public, not the other way around.

Unfortunately, it's typical for many services, which operate in a sort of captive market like NHS dental services: they know that for many people the NHS dentist is the only way to access dental care and there is not a lot of choice and freedom to find someone else. Therefore, they just don't care about service quality and customer experience.

YANBU.

When I broke my tooth one December, my dentist didn't offer any emergency appointments and said I'd have to wait over a week to be seen, even though I was in absolute agony and couldn't eat, or sleep due to the pain. They did prescribe antibiotics without seeing me to be fair, but they had no effect.

When the abcess caused my face to swell up like a balloon, they still couldn't find a way to treat me. Yet other practices keep appointments back for emergencies.

I called back a few times over the next few days to see if they had any cancellations and managed to bring the appointment forward by a couple of days, but the reception staff were so rude every time.

Then the receptionist called with a new cancellation, still a couple of days away and when I was trying to ask a couple of questions she kept talking over me, in a really patronising, snappy manner.

She then told me that they won't do any treatment at my appointment as it's just an assessment and they are unlikely to fit me in for any treatment before Christmas, which made me cry considering the huge amount of pain I was in.

She said in a huffy voice, "Look, if they CAN help with the pain, they WILL. Alright?!" What a lovely, sympathetic reaction!

I asked how they might do that, so I know what to expect. I was never once rude, but I was tearful, as I was in a lot of pain.

She huffed and said, "I don't know do I? I can't see into your mouth! I'm not a dentist!" Wow, nice.

To which I replied, "Any chance of dropping the attitude, stop patronising me and speaking to me like a human, instead of a piece of crap?" (She'd pushed my buttons by this point).

She replied, "I'm not taking to you like crap. I've bent over backwards for you by offering you a cancellation!" Ermm, not really. It's your job is to book appointments!

I rang every single dentist in my town and managed to get in with one. Was seen that day and he tooth removed.

Personally, I think that if they despise patients so much, maybe they should find a different job? They are dealing with people in pain, who needs empathy and help.

Does sound off
I moved my dentist appointment to Monday just gone, then got a flat tyre and had to move it
They just said oh do you want your original appointment for next Monday back? Yes please
Sorted

I recently said to my DH that the places that have the ‘we don’t tolerate abuse’ signs up usually have the most abrasive public facing staff. They get peoples backs up then wonder why some end up biting back. It’s also very common with services where you have no choice but to use them.
I find this quite common with GP receptionists especially. Your dentist receptionist was really rude, and it’s worse that she also knows you are in pain.

I agree. We do actually pay for the NHS and the lack of service is appalling. You should not be spoken to like that OP, and you should not feel a sense of gratitude for being able to access a service that you already pay for.

She was rude abs I would complain

Nobody is entitled to NHS dentistry. The Government do not fund enough places for that.

I assume she was having a bad day, because yes that was rude. And you don't need to feel 'grateful' that you have an NHS dentist, It should be a basic right! You can still complain, you have that right.

Personally though I wouldn't complain. However, if she is a stroppy arse again, I would be putting in a complaint about her.

I'm getting very good at letting them speak (even if they interrupt me), leaving a bit of a pause and then saying "please can you allow me speak?" and then slowly and clearly explain what I need, why I am calling at that time.

I think many receptionists are on auto defensive.

My GP receptionists are wonderful, the dental ones are a bit arsey.

The worst was the bank teller in Barclays almost yelling at me during lockdown on the steps of the bank. I let her yell then quietly explained I had Power Of Attorney documentation that needed to be filed IN PERSON.

Everybody is entitled to NHS dentistry!

Fixed that for you!

You’re not very lucky to have a dentist, we should all expect to be able to have a dentist. It should be a norm.

Receptionist was very unreasonable and should be used to dealing with people in pain every day - she’s probably in the wrong job.

You’re a customer and a patient and they’re providing a service, even if they’re a business - customer is always right, even if we take the healthcare aspect out of it.

She was very rude! I have had a similar experience with a call to my dentist. I have not complained, as I am one of their NHS patients, I am scared of being struck off their list if I don’t toe the line.

The people are in an abusive relationship with the NHS. Exactly the same dynamics. Scared to ask for anything, having to tolerate being on the receiving end of bad treatment, walking on eggshells, being expected to put your needs last to accommodate their demands, feeling helpless and being expected to be grateful for tiny bits of reasonable treatment they decide to provide. Not being able to afford to leave (to go private).

Yip, that's an abusive relationship.

Honestly - you are asking for an emergency appointment because you are in pain and then saying you can’t make the appointment you offer. I can understand why they get frustrated.

She's having a power trip.

I've worked with the public and I know how cussed we can be. A certain number of us are downright horrible. But it's no secret that people in extreme distress (and dental pain is an excellent example of it) aren't at their best. A dental receptionist ought to have the soft skills to deal with someone with an abscess, a dry socket, bruxism etc, without aggravating their misery all the more. Not only was this receptionist's tone abrasive, it turned out that she did have another appointment she could offer you. She drew an ailing patient into an argument that upset you more than you already were and wasted her own time. I am sorry this happened and hope the appointment on Wednesday will resolve the problem tooth (the problem receptionist is another matter.)

Hardly an emergency appointment if it’s 3 days away though is it

Please provide the link to that. I couldn’t find anything proving that