Trinity Dental Centre

Updated 5 March 2015

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the practice was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and to pilot a new inspection process being introduced by the CQC.

• This inspection was carried out on 19 December 2014 by a lead inspector and a specialist dental advisor.
• We reviewed the information we had about this provider from the previous inspection. The provider sent us the statement of purpose.
• During the inspection we toured the premises and spoke with people using the service, spoke with the dentists and staff, observed methods of working and reviewed documents. To assess the quality of care provided by the practice, we looked at practice policies and protocols and other records. The specialist dental advisor also assessed the quality of the clinical records. In dentistry, clinical records can give an indication of the quality of care provided by a dentist because well-structured and detailed personalised records are an indication of good quality care.
• Thirty-one patients completed our comment cards and we spoke with two other people using the service.

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

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

Updated 5 March 2015

Trinity Dental Centre provides dental care mainly under private arrangements but has a small NHS dental contract for children up to the age of 18 years. We found that the practice provided safe and effective dental care in clean, well equipped and maintained surroundings. At our visit we found all members of staff were kind, caring and put patients at their ease and were led by practice owners who placed adopting a kind and gentle approach to dentistry at the heart of the practice philosophy.

This inspection took place on Friday 19 December 2014. It was a comprehensive inspection.

The practice consists of a large waiting area with a reception desk away from the waiting area to ensure privacy and dignity for patients when discussing sensitive matters in relation to their dental treatment. The practice currently has two dental treatment rooms. One is on the ground floor with level access from the street enabling patients with various physical disabilities to access dental care.

The team at the practice included two dentists, one of whom is the registered manager, and a practice manager who supports the registered manager to deliver the practice’s administration and clinical governance systems. She also works as a dental nurse. There is one other dedicated dental nurse and two dental receptionists one of whom is a trained dental nurse. The practice has the services of two part time dental hygienists who give oral health advice and carry out preventative and gum treatments on prescription from the dentists working in the practice.

Thirty-one patients completed our comment cards. All gave positive opinions about their care at Trinity Dental Centre. The words excellent, fantastic, patient and professional were often repeated. Patients said they had found a patient-focussed service where they had felt welcome, comfortable and understood by the dentist and staff.

Complimentary letters from adults had been retained over several years. Two patients in the waiting room said they found the service was brilliant and they had no complaints. They said they hated visits to the dentist but had never before been so happy with a dental service and had been impressed that the dentist was able to give injections that were almost pain free.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider could make improvements;

The provider should

• monitor and assess accidents to staff at regular intervals in order to reduce any risks and share any learning amongst the team.
• carry out audit of dental X-rays at least annually and add the quality assurance score to the clinical record.