Kendal Dental and Implant Centre

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

We found the practice was providing well-led care and treatment in accordance with the relevant regulations and had taken into consideration appropriate guidance.

The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 19 August 2025.

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

The judgement for Shared direction and culture is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.

The judgement for Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.

The judgement for Freedom to speak up is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.

The judgement for Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.

The practice was delivering well led care and treatment services.

The provider had reviewed governance processes across the practice, updating and making improvements.

A protocol had been developed and put in place between the practice and visiting dental professionals who treated patients at the practice. This covered the supply of medicines to patients, access to emergency medicines and equipment, and also included checks on annual renewal of indemnity of visiting clinicians and their staff, and the requirement to produce evidence of updated training, expected of dental clinicians and their staff.

Systems in place across the practice meant there was greater oversight of building maintenance and checks. This, along with other improvements made by the provider meant the oversight of risk had been improved.

Improvements had been made to record keeping, including the consent process for patients. Clear information was now provided on whether patients were seeing a dentist or a dental therapist, and there was a clear breakdown of any costs involved for treatment planned, and whether treatment was included as part of NHS care and treatment. All staff had undergone training in this area at a dedicated training event. We further noted that all staff at the practice wore badges which gave their name and occupation, to underpin patients’ awareness as to who was delivering their treatment.

Systems and processes were in place to support secure stock control for medicines, and how these were drawn down from stock and dispensed by each clinician.

Systems were in place to receive and act on patient safety alerts and updates and included discussing these with all colleagues at the time of receipt.

Audit across the practice had improved. This included patient record audit, medicines management audit and infection control audits.

The provider had considered all staff roles and associated duties within the practice. Where supplementary training was required, this was provided. Staff had access to learning tools and resources to support them in their daily duties and in extended roles.

Specific protocols for working in and managing the decontamination room had been implemented. For example, doors to and from the decontamination room were not wedged open and staff had been reminded that this is not appropriate. The correct occupational health posters were displayed in the decontamination room and in surgeries. Staff had an increased awareness on what practice policy was on, for example, handling sharps. This was supported across the practice and reinforced the message that any dismantling of sharps should be done by the dentist or clinician using them.

The judgement for Partnerships and communities is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.

The judgement for Learning, improvement and innovation is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.