Archived: The Heathcote Dental Practice

As part of our inspection we spoke with six people who were receiving treatment. All were complimentary of the service and told us that they were involved in their care and that they gave consent to the treatment they received. Many of the patients we met had been with the practice for many years. Two people we spoke with had been patients from the very beginning of the practice in 1960. The staff were described as a "great team". People spoke about their confidence and trust in the treatment and advice they received. We asked people why they liked the practice. Two people said that they were "a bit nervous" about going to the dentist, but that that they were always made to feel at ease when they attended. One person told us "I come here because I'm treated like a person, not a tooth!" Another person told us "It's the best place you could come to.".

We looked at patient's notes, treatment plans and records of their medical and dental history and found them to contain clear and relevant information. The practice was clean and hygienic. Suitable equipment was available and good processes were in place for cleaning, decontaminating and sterilizing instruments. We found that staff were properly recruited, that proper staff checks were undertaken and that on-going training and professional development was well evidenced for all staff.