Kendal Dental and Implant Centre

We undertook a follow-up on-site inspection of Kendal Dental and Implant Centre on 26 January 2026. This was carried out to review the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to assess whether the practice was meeting legal requirements.

We had previously undertaken an announced on-site inspection of Kendal Dental and Implant Centre on 19 August 2025. We had found the registered provider was not providing safe and well-led care and was in breach of Regulation 15 (Premises and Equipment) and Regulation 17 (Good Governance) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

During our follow-up assessment, we found the practice had made improvements and was now complying with regulations.

The practice had improved systems to support good governance and to manage risk. This included risks posed by the building as well as risk in the day-to-day delivery of regulated activities.

We found:

• Management of medicines, including stock control had improved.
• Processes to receive and share safety alerts had been implemented and updates were shared with staff across the practice.
• Recruitment checks were in place and copies of required document were held securely.
• Governance processes around patient consent to care and treatment reflected legislation and guidance.
• Infection control procedures and guidance was observed by staff, for example, in the decontamination room.
• Protocols for delivery of treatment by the dental therapist were in place.
• Staff had appropriate knowledge and skills, enabling them to fulfil their duties within the practice.
• Any required or recommended improvements to the building and, for example, the electrical safety of the building, had been carried out.

Kendal Dental and Implant Centre is in Kendal, Cumbria and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There was step-free access to the practice and car parking spaces were 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 8 staff, of which there were 2 dentists, 4 dental nurses, 3 of whom were trainee dental nurses, 1 dental therapist, and the practice manager. The practice employed a visiting dentist who provided implant treatment and a supporting nurse for implant work. We gathered feedback from staff and spoke to a range of staff during this follow-up inspection, including 1 dentist, 2 dental nurses, 1 compliance support officer and the Registered Manager.

We carried out this announced on-site inspection on 19 August 2025.

We found the practice had not met all regulations.

The systems in place to identify and manage risk was ineffective. For example

• In relation to management of medicines and oversight of safety within the practice.
• Governance processes required review, as did arrangements for receipt and sharing of essential safety alerts and updates.
• Recruitment procedures reflected current legislation, but were not applied consistently.
• Protocols for treatment delivered by the dental therapist were not clear.
• Consent to care and treatment did not reflect legislation and guidance.
• Not all staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles.

Patients were treated with dignity and respect and had good access to care, support, and treatment when required.

Kendal Dental and Implant Centre is in Kendal, Cumbria and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There was step-free access to the practice and car parking spaces were 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 8 staff, of which there were 2 dentists, 4 dental nurses, 3 of whom were trainee dental nurses, 1 dental therapist, and the practice manager. The practice employed a visiting dentist that provided implant treatment and a supporting nurse for implant work. We gathered feedback from staff and spoke to a range of staff during our inspection, including 1 dentists 2 dental nurses, 1 compliance support officer and the Registered Manager.

The provider was not complying with Regulations 15 and 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

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.