• Dentist
  • Dentist

Together Dental Clapham

88-90 St Johns Road, Clapham Junction, London, SW11 1PX (020) 7801 9060

Provided and run by:
Dental Arts Studio-Clapham (Dental Care) Limited

All Inspections

4 July 2023

During a routine inspection

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 4 July 2023 under section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions.

We planned the inspection to check whether the registered practice was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations.

The inspection was led by a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector who was supported by a specialist dental advisor.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following 5 questions:

  • Is it safe?
  • Is it effective?
  • Is it caring?
  • Is it responsive to people’s needs?
  • Is it well-led?

These questions form the framework for the areas we look at during the inspection.

Our findings were:

  • The dental clinic appeared clean and well-maintained.
  • The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
  • Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
  • The practice had systems to manage risks for patients, staff, equipment and the premises.
  • Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
  • The practice had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
  • Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
  • Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
  • Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
  • The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
  • The frequency of appointments was agreed between the dentist and the patient, giving due regard to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
  • There was effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Staff felt involved, supported and worked as a team.
  • Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
  • Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
  • The practice had information governance arrangements.

Background

Together Dental Clapham is part of Together Dental, a group dental provider.

The practice is in the London Borough of Wandsworth and provides NHS and private dental care treatment for adults and children.

Public transport, bus and train services are located close to the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 11 dentists, 3 dental hygienists, 2 qualified dental nurses and 1 trainee dental nurse. The clinical team are supported by the practice manager and 2 receptionist.

The practice has 6 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 2 dentists, 1 dental nurse, the receptionist, and the practice manager. We also spoke with the two compliance managers.

We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

9am to 7.30pm on Mondays

9am to 5.30pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays

9am to 8pm on Thursdays

21 May 2013

During a routine inspection

People spoke positively about their care at Dental Arts Studio - Clapham. We spoke with two people using the service. One person told us "they took their time to explain the treatment". Another person said "the dentist was amazing", "I am very happy with the service".

We looked at five care plans which contained treatment plans. People had signed the treatment plan to indicate their consent to treatment and the cost. The dentist told us they used a number of ways to explain the treatment plan for people using the service. These included online videos, leaflets, models and pictures.

A dental nurse explained the process by which they maintained the treatment rooms. They also demonstrated how they washed and sterilised re-usable instruments.

Staff felt supported working at Dental Arts Studio - Clapham and told us they were given the opportunity to develop within the organisation. Comments from people included "I am given full clinical freedom" and "the support is fantastic". We looked at four staff files and saw evidence that clinical staff were registered with the General Dental Council (GDC).

There was a comments book at the reception desk for people to provide their feedback on their experiences at the practice. We looked at complaints that had been raised with the practice and saw that these were responded to and managed appropriately.