Updated 10 September 2026
We carried out this announced on-site inspection on 28 September 2026.
We found the practice had not met all regulations.
Staff provided care and treatment in line with current guidance. They treated patients with dignity and respect and ensured access to care, support, and treatment when required. However, improvements were required in governance arrangements and management oversight, with the provider not meeting one regulation.
The practice's governance systems were not sufficiently effective to ensure appropriate management and oversight of dental radiography, staff training, medicines, patient records, consent and complaints.
Maintenance and servicing of radiography equipment was not always in line with manufacturers recommendations.
Staff did not always manage medicines in line with current guidance.
Documentation within patient records was not always completed in line with guidance.
Staff did not always obtain patients’ consent to care and treatment in line with legislation and guidance.
Complaints were not always handled effectively, and the practice did not consistently demonstrate a culture of continuous improvement.
Recruitment procedures reflected current legislation and staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles, although improvements were required to ensure staff training was up to date.
The Dentalist Loughborough is in Leicestershire and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children.
There was step-free access to the practice and car parking spaces available, including dedicated parking for disabled people, near the practice.
The practice had 4 treatment rooms. At the time of our inspection, there was a total of 33 staff, of which there were 13 dentists, 5 dental nurses (including 1 trainee dental nurse), 1 dental therapist, 1 dental hygienist, 8 receptionists, 3 treatment coordinators, 1 administrator and the practice manager. We gathered feedback and spoke to a range of staff during our inspection.
The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run. There was no registered manager at the time of our inspection. However, we were provided assurance following the inspection an application had been submitted to fill the vacant registered manager position.
The provider was not complying with 1 regulation. Full details of the regulation the provider was not meeting are within the inspection report.
We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this inspection.