During our inspection we spoke with patients in the waiting area of the practice and observed one consultation. All of the patients we spoke with were positive about their experience of using this dental practice. They told us that they found the staff to be 'A brilliant team, they look after me and are family focussed.' Another patient told us that when they needed to change their appointments staff were accommodating. We saw that patient's views were taken into account in the way the service was provided and delivered. For example, one patient told us that they had discussed treatment options with the dentist. They also said 'I have confidence in my dentist.'
We found that the practice maintained patient records which included up to date medical histories, medical alerts and treatment plans. We looked at five patients care records. Staff told us that the dentist or hygienist would verbally check the medical history at each treatment visit. The records demonstrated that dentist and hygienist got consent from patients before they started any treatment.
We saw that the premises were visibly clean and tidy. Staff we spoke with spoke knowledgeably about decontamination and sterilisation processes they used. One patient we spoke with said 'The practice is clean.'
We saw that the practice had appropriate systems in place to manage emergencies. We saw evidence that equipment was routinely serviced and maintained.
We saw documentation which confirmed that all relevant staff employed by the service held current registrations with their professional body the General Dental Council (GDC). We also saw documents which confirmed that the practice held checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for all staff. This meant that the service had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.