- Dentist
Mark Kent Dental Surgery
Assessment report published 21 May 2026
Contents
Judgements
Our view of the service
We carried out this announced on-site inspection on 15 April 2026.
We found the practice had not met all regulations.
The practice did not have fully effective systems in place to identify, assess, and manage risks. Improvements were required in the assessment and mitigation of risks relating to fire safety, sharps management, the use of hazardous substances and general health and safety.
Infection prevention and control procedures required review to ensure alignment with current national guidance.
Although the practice had some systems in place to support continuous improvement, there was a lack of effective leadership.
Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles. However, improvements were required to ensure systems in place to monitor staff training were effective.
Staff provided care and treatment in line with current guidance. However, improvements to record-keeping were required to ensure that all care provided to patients was accurately, consistently, and clearly documented in patient records.
Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and ensured access to care, support, and treatment when required.
The practice is in Edgware, in the London Borough of Barnet, and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children.
There was step-free access to the practice and car parking spaces available near the practice.
The practice had 3 treatment rooms. At the time of our inspection, there was a total of 6 staff, of which there was the principal dentist, 1 dental nurse, 2 dental hygienists and 2 receptionists. We gathered feedback from staff and spoke to a range of staff during our inspection, including the principal dentist, the dental nurse, 1 dental hygienist and the 2 receptionists.
The service provides cosmetic treatments, some of which are not in scope of CQC regulation and are not covered in our inspection.
The provider was not complying with regulation 17 (Good governance) 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.
People's experience of this service
Two weeks before our inspection, we asked the practice to encourage patients to share their views of the service with us. We received feedback from 37 patients. On the day of our inspection, we spoke with and saw patient feedback from a further 5 patients. Patient feedback provided a positive view of the dental team and care provided by the practice.
Comments included:
“I have been going to this dentist for over 30 years, and I honestly couldn’t ask for better care. The level of professionalism, skill, and consistency over the decades has been outstanding. They always take the time to explain procedures clearly, make you feel at ease, and ensure everything is done to the highest standard.”
“The team is friendly, welcoming, and genuinely cares about their patients, which makes every visit a positive experience. It’s rare to find such long-term reliability and excellence in any service, and I feel very fortunate to have been under their care for so long.”
Patients commented positively about the standards of cleanliness. One patient told us, “Always friendly, professional and knowledgeable with a comfortable and clean surgery.”
Patients felt able to book appointments within an acceptable timescale for their needs and said they had enough time during their appointment without feeling rushed. One patient said, “If I have needed an emergency consultation I have always been seen very promptly, this is very reassuring.”
Patients told us they were given clear information to help them make an informed choice about their treatment and any associated costs. They were involved in decisions about their care. One patient commented, “Without exception, I have been very happy with both the standard of work and the standard of service provided. I always receive a very thorough debrief before any treatment is scheduled so I understand all the options and, where applicable, a recommendation about what path is best and why. I genuinely feel I am a party to a treatment consideration and a final decision… The standard of communication and the manner in which it is conveyed, is exceptional. I have complete confidence in the logic applied when discussing treatments and in the outcomes I ultimately get from those treatments.”
Patients said when they were prescribed medicines, sufficient information was given.
Patients told us that they were supported to maintain their oral health and were provided with appropriate information and resources.
The practice shared patient feedback with the team. We were told this was reviewed and where suggestions had been made, appropriate action would be taken.