Dentistry100

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations and had taken into consideration appropriate guidance.

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

The judgement for Assessing needs is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The provider had systems to ensure that people who used the service received person-centred care and treatment, that was appropriate, met their needs and was reflective of their personal preferences. Preventive oral health care was encouraged.

Staff kept up-to-date with current evidence-based practice, and had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles.

The practice offered conscious sedation for patients, through a service level agreement with a visiting sedation company. The practice’s systems included checks before and after treatment, emergency equipment requirements, sedation equipment checks, and staff availability and training.

We looked at 6 patient care records. The information recorded in these patient care records was not always in line with recognised guidance. Audits of record keeping could be strengthened to ensure that records are completed consistently and in line with relevant guidance. We saw evidence the dentists justified, graded and reported on the radiographs they took.

Staff obtained patients’ consent for treatment in line with legislation and guidance and understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff described how they involved patients’ relatives or carers when appropriate and made sure they had enough time to explain treatment options clearly.

Prescribing of antimicrobials was not always in line with current guidance. The antimicrobial audit could be used as a tool to evaluate if this guidance is being adhered to, and if not, the reason for deferring from this guidance should be documented in the patient records.

Patients were referred to primary and secondary care specialists for treatment the practice did not provide. This included referring patients with suspected cancer under the national faster diagnosis pathways.

Staff felt the practice supported them to develop and enabled them to take on responsibilities. One staff member told us, “I feel supported to progress and take on additional responsibilities. I have regular appraisals and usually have short weekly meetings with the principal dentist, where we discuss my role, training needs and any new responsibilities. I am also given opportunities to learn and reinforce new skills.”

The judgement for How staff, teams and services work together is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Supporting people to live healthier lives is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Monitoring and improving outcomes is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Consent to care and treatment is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.