10 January 2012
During a routine inspection
People we spoke with said that everything in the practice always looked clean and tidy. People confirmed that the dentists and nurses offered them glasses to protect their eyes during treatment. We were told the dentists wore these themselves and that they always wore disposable gloves.
People told us that they do not have to wait very long to see the dentist, one person said 'I've never had to wait more than a couple of minutes and I usually get called in early'
We asked dental staff how the surgery decides on a treatment plan with a person. We were told this would depend on the oral health assessment that is completed at the start of each course of treatment. We were shown a completed assessment and people we spoke with told us everything was always explained to them. One person told us 'My dentist is very good at explaining what treatment he is going to do and tells you why you should have it."
We observed the decontamination process and the nurse described how the equipment was monitored to ensure it was working efficiently. Staff spoken with told us that they had attended training in infection control and the decontamination of equipment. Staff said they felt confident with this procedure.
We looked at the results of the last patient satisfaction survey undertaken in the practice. All responses were positive and one person gave an additional comment, "Very professional. I actually do not mind coming to the dentist."
We asked if people had ever had to make a complaint. People we spoke with said they would speak to the dentist if they were unhappy with anything but had never had cause to do this.