Smilecare Dental Centre

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations and had taken into consideration appropriate guidance.

Find out what we look at when we assess this area in our information about our new Single assessment framework.

The judgement for Assessing needs is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The provider had systems to ensure that people who used the service received person-centred care and treatment, that was appropriate, met their needs and was reflective of their personal preferences. Preventive oral health care was encouraged.

Staff kept up-to-date with current evidence-based practice, and had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles.

We looked at 5 patient care records. The information recorded in these patient care records was in line with recognised guidance. We saw evidence the dentists justified, graded and reported on the radiographs they took.

Staff obtained patients’ consent for treatment in line with legislation and guidance and understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff described how they involved patients’ relatives or carers when appropriate and made sure they had enough time to explain treatment options clearly.

The practice had systems for prescribing and dispensing of medicines in line with current guidance. They carried out antimicrobial prescribing audits.

Patients were referred to primary and secondary care specialists for treatment the practice did not provide. This included referring patients with suspected cancer under the national faster diagnosis pathways.

The practice was a Level 2 referral centre for endodontic treatment, accepting NHS referrals from other dental practices through a referral management service for patients requiring moderately complex endodontic care. The service operated six days a week and was delivered by accredited Level 2 performer clinicians who worked within this practice and other practices across London.

Staff felt the practice supported them to develop and enabled them to take on responsibilities. We saw evidence of a strong commitment to staff development, with a newly qualified dentist receiving comprehensive support and mentoring, and a dental nurse being encouraged and supported to undertake further training in dental hygiene and therapy. The newly qualified dentist told us, “The support I have received as a new dentist within this practice has been incredible. I feel motivated by them to conduct further training.”

The judgement for How staff, teams and services work together is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Supporting people to live healthier lives is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Monitoring and improving outcomes is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Consent to care and treatment is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.