High Street Dental Practice

We carried out this announced focused inspection on 22 November 2022 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 adviser.

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

• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• Is it caring?
• Is it responsive?
• Is it well-led?

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

Our findings were:

• The dental clinic was visibly clean and well-maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies and appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect and staff took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• There was effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• The practice opened late one evening a week and on Saturday mornings, providing good access to appointments.

Background

High Street Dental Practice provides both private and NHS dental treatment for adults and children. In addition to general dentistry, the practice provides a dental implant service for patients.

The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with additional needs. There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs, downstairs treatment rooms and a fully accessible toilet.

The dental team includes 5 dentists, 2 dental hygienists, a practice manager, 5 qualified dental nurses and 2 reception staff. An oral surgeon visits the practice one day a month.

The practice has 5 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with the practice manager, 4 dentists, 2 dental nurses and reception staff. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8.30am to 5.30pm, on Thursdays from 8.30am to 7.30pm, and on Saturdays from 8.30am to 1pm.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Implement an effective recruitment procedure to ensure that appropriate checks are completed prior to new staff commencing employment at the practice.

• Implement an effective system for monitoring and recording the fridge temperature to ensure that medicines and dental care products are stored in line with the manufacturer’s guidance.

• Improve the practice's systems for checking and servicing equipment to ensure its safe use. In particular, the servicing of the surgical drill units and the cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner.

• Implement a system so that patient referrals to other dental or health care professionals are centrally monitored to ensure that they are received in a timely manner and not lost.