Dental Hospital

Updated 6 June 2016

The Dental Hospital in Newcastle primarily provides clinical experience for undergraduate dental students, student dental care professionals and qualified dentists undertaking further training. It also provides specialist services for referred patients in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS), oral medicine, orthodontics, paediatric dentistry, and restorative dentistry (including treatment of the anxious patient and those with special care needs).

Newcastle’s Dental Hospital (180 dental treatment chairs) is the major centre of specialist dental services for the northern region. It has three main areas: the Dental Hospital, the Community Dental Service and the North of Tyne Out of Hours Service. The North of Tyne Out of Hours Dental Emergency and Advisory Service provides advice and/or dental treatment to patients whose condition requires general dental services outside of normal opening hours.

Before visiting, we reviewed a range of information we hold about the core service and asked other organisations to share what they knew. During the inspection, we spoke with 20 patients and three relatives. We observed how patients were being cared for, talked with 30 members of dental staff, and reviewed care or treatment records of 14 patients who used the services.

Updated 6 June 2016

Updated 6 June 2016

Overall we rated the dental hospital as outstanding because:

• There were systems for identifying, investigating and learning from patient safety incidents. In 2015 there was one never event reported for the dental hospital. Never events are serious, wholly preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur if available preventative measures are implemented. The service had carried out a thorough investigation of the event and implemented actions to prevent recurrence and shared its learning with other dental hospitals and with national patient safety agencies.

• The environment was clean and infection prevention and control procedures well managed. Decontamination processes followed national guidance. Systems were in place for the safe storage and administration of medicines. Staff understood their responsibilities regarding safeguarding policies and procedures.

• Patients and relatives told us they had positive experiences of care within this service.We saw good examples of staff providing compassionate and effective care.

• Staffing levels were safe. There were processes for the regular review of staffing levels and changes made to meet the demands of the service.

• The dental hospital delivered care and treatment using relevant and current evidence-based guidance, standards, best practice and legislation. It proactively pursued opportunities to participate in benchmarking, peer review, accreditation and research. The service published several audit projects in peer-reviewed journals for wider sharing of findings. Improvements in practice were evident across dental services.

• Details of the teaching indicated that the curriculum covered all aspects of safe clinical practice for dentists in the UK. Training for student dentists was well-structured organised and received very positive student feedback The teaching for sedation was nationally recognised as working to the gold standard within the UK. There was effective team working and the use of innovative and pioneering approaches to care.

• The service was responsive to the needs of its patients. Access to care took account of patients’ needs. Changes to clinics ensured waiting time targets were met and patients could access the right care at the right time.

• There was a strong, cohesive leadership team. Organisational, governance and risk management structures were effective. The senior management team were aware of the challenges of the service and the working culture was open, transparent and supportive. The dental hospital used innovative approaches to improve the standard and quality of patient care.