When Something Goes Wrong: How to Talk About Complications Without Sounding Defensive
For any practice where a patient has called or come back to say something went wrong, and whoever heard it first wasn't sure what to say, what not to say, or whose job it was to explain.
Patients forgive outcomes. They rarely forgive being brushed off.
About this Guide
Chairlink Answers · Difficult Conversations · Field Guide
The order matters more than the words.
This guide shows your whole team who listens, who explains, and who follows up when a patient says something went wrong. Start with the 3 scripts, the 2 kinds of sorry, and the word swaps on this page. Then download the 26 page Team Edition, built to be read and practiced together, for the 10 scenarios, the 5 part talk, and the handoff card.
The 6 moves
Move Owner In 1 line
1. Listen Team Let them finish. Write it down. Say it back.
2. Steady Team Check for urgent signs. Give a real time.
3. Pass Team Facts, their words, and your promise, to the doctor fast.
4. Tell Doctor What happened, what we know and don't, sorry, what's next.
5. Plan Doctor Next steps, referral, money answers, next talk, with dates.
6. Close Everyone Chart facts, call the carrier if needed, check in within 3 days.
How to use it
- Read the 6 moves together as a team.
- Put the 3 scripts where the phone gets answered.
- Ask your carrier what your state's apology law covers, and what notice your policy requires.
- Download the Team Edition, and work through the scenarios together.
Never hide it. Never guess it. Never blame anyone. Not the patient, not the lab, not a teammate, not the last dentist. Apology laws, refund and reporting rules, records rules, and scope of practice are set by your state and your board, and they change. Your malpractice policy may set its own notice requirements. Before disclosing a possible error, offering money, or answering a legal demand, talk with your carrier and, when advised, an attorney licensed in your state.
Sources include Vincent et al. (Lancet, 1994), Gallagher et al. (JAMA, 2003), Kachalia et al. (Annals of Internal Medicine, 2010), the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (2021), the AHRQ CANDOR Toolkit, the American Dental Association, and the HHS Office for Civil Rights. The full guide lists every source. The 6 moves, the flow, the handoff card, and the talk planner are original Chairlink work, not measured data. All scenarios and names are made up.
Written and reviewed by the Chairlink Answers editorial team.
Try this on your next call
The team listens and passes it on. The doctor explains. Everyone follows up.
Complications happen in good hands. What turns one into a lost patient, a 1 star review, or a claim is often what the office says in the first 2 minutes. And the first person to hear it is almost never the dentist.
3 scripts to use today
- When the call comes in (team): "I'm really glad you called. Tell me what's going on. I'm going to write it down so Dr. [Name] gets every detail."
- Before you hang up (team): "I'm getting this to Dr. [Name] right now. You'll hear from the doctor by 2 o'clock today. If anything gets worse before then, call us right away."
- When they ask "Did the doctor make a mistake?" (team): "You deserve a straight answer to that. I'm not the right person to explain it, and I don't want to guess. I'll ask the doctor to talk with you before you leave."
2 kinds of sorry
Saying sorry for what someone is going through is not admitting fault, and the whole team can say it.
- Sympathy, for everyone: "I'm so sorry you're going through this." Always right, never needs permission.
- Fault, for the doctor only: "That was our mistake, and I'm sorry." Only when the facts are clear, and after talking with your malpractice carrier. Don't let that call delay a first honest talk.
About 39 states have apology laws. Most protect only words of sympathy (J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, 2021). Ask your carrier what yours covers.
4 things the team never says
Instead of Try this
"That's totally normal." "Some of that can be part of healing. I still want the doctor to hear about it."
"Did you follow the instructions?" "Walk me through the days since your visit."
"You signed the consent form." "This is one of the risks we talked about. I'm sorry it happened to you."
"We'll give you a refund." "The doctor will look at this and talk with you about options."
Before you pass it to the doctor
- Urgent signs checked
- Facts written down
- Their own words
- The time you promised
Important information
- This guide is for education only. It is not legal, clinical, insurance, regulatory, or employment advice, it is not a substitute for advice from an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction, and it does not create a professional relationship of any kind.
- It does not create or define a standard of care.
- Clinical decisions belong to the licensed dentist.
- Apology laws, refund and reporting rules, records rules, and scope of practice vary by state and change over time.
- Your malpractice policy may set its own notice requirements.
- Before disclosing a possible error, offering money, or answering a legal demand, talk with your malpractice carrier and, when advised, an attorney licensed in your state.
What the full guide adds
This page is the outline. The 26 page Team Edition is the practice.
- 10 scenarios, from the phone to the chair, including still numb after a wisdom tooth, a crown that came off, "you gave me an infection," and veneers they hate
- 70+ scripts, each with what to say first, what the doctor says, how to chart it, and what to avoid
- The 5 part talk for the doctor, with sample words for known risks and for errors
- Hard questions patients ask the team, and exact answers
- Reviews, lawyers, and records requests, including why a review reply cost dental practices up to $50,000
- A printable handoff card, a 3 minute talk planner, and a team setup checklist
Download the Full Guide