The Care Quality Commission
  • Dentist
  • Dentist

Smile Concepts

91 Lode Lane, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 2HH (0121) 705 2705

Provided and run by:
Smile Concepts Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed - see old profile

All Inspections

2 August 2023

During a routine inspection

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 2 August 2023 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 advisor.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following 5 questions:

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

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

Our findings were:

  • The dental clinic appeared clean and well-maintained.
  • The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
  • Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Not all appropriate life-saving equipment was available. Missing items were ordered immediately following this inspection.
  • The practice had systems to manage risks for patients, staff, equipment and the premises.
  • Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
  • The practice had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
  • Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
  • Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
  • Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
  • The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
  • The frequency of appointments was agreed between the dentist and the patient, giving due regard to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
  • There was effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Staff felt involved, supported and worked as a team.
  • Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
  • Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
  • The practice had information governance arrangements.

Background

Smile Concepts is in Solihull, West Midlands and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is step free access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. The practice provides a car park for patients. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for disabled people, are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 6 dentists, 2 specialist dentists, (1 specialist in endodontics
periodontics, prosthodontics and restorative dentistry and the other in oral surgery) 7 dental nurses, 3 dental hygienists, 1 dental therapist, 1 practice manager and 1 receptionist. The practice has 5 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 2 dentists, 1 dental nurse, 1 receptionist and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Friday from 8am to 3.30pm and alternate Saturdays from 9am to 5pm.

The practice had taken steps to improve environmental sustainability. For example, a company is used to collect recycling such as glass, carboard and plastic. Information was available for staff regarding recycling and waste in a dental practice. Staff took part in Recycle4Charity who recycled inkjet cartridges. Staff were reminded to turn off lights when not in a room.

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

  • Take action to ensure the availability of equipment in the practice to manage medical emergencies taking into account the guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK) and the General Dental Council.

  • Take action to ensure that dental nursing staff who assist in conscious sedation have the appropriate training and skills to carry out the role, taking into account guidelines published by The Intercollegiate Advisory Committee on Sedation in Dentistry in the document 'Standards for Conscious Sedation in the Provision of Dental Care 2015.

30 November 2015

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 30 November 2015 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found that this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found that this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found that this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found that this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Smile Concepts provides general and specialist dental services on a private basis. The service is provided by nine dentists (three of whom are specialists) and two dental hygienists. The three specialist dentists have a range of specialities amongst them including oral surgery, periodontics and restorative dentistry. They are supported by a practice manager, a receptionist, a decontamination assistant and six dental nurses (one of whom is a trainee). A chiropodist is also employed by the practice. A consultant anaesthetist visits the practice on an ad hoc basis to provide conscious sedation for nervous patients (approximately every six weeks). (Conscious sedation involves techniques in which the use of a drug or drugs produces a state of depression of the central nervous system enabling treatment to be carried out, but during which verbal contact with the patient is maintained throughout the period of sedation).

The practice is located on a main road in a residential area. There is a designated car parking bay and access to the premises for patients with disabilities. There is a reception area, waiting area, two treatment rooms and accessible toilet facilities on the ground floor to accommodate patients who cannot use the stairs. There are a further three treatment rooms, a CT scanner, a decontamination room, toilet facilities and a room for the chiropodist on the first floor. The practice is also involved in dental postgraduate training so there are training rooms available on the first floor. Opening hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 8:30am to 5:30pm and Friday 8am to 3:30pm.

The practice manager is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

25 patients provided feedback about the practice. We looked at CQC comment cards patients had completed prior to the inspection and we also spoke with patients on the day of our visit. Patients were positive about their experience and they commented that they were treated in a respectful and professional manner. Patients felt that the staff were friendly, caring and informative.

Our key findings were:

  • There was appropriate equipment for staff to undertake their duties, and equipment was well maintained. They had access to an automated external defibrillator (AED). An AED is a portable electronic device that analyses life threatening irregularities of the heart including ventricular fibrillation and is able to deliver an electrical shock to attempt to restore a normal heart rhythm.
  • The practice had systems to assess and manage risks to patients, including infection prevention and control, health and safety, safeguarding and the management of medical emergencies.
  • Patients told us they were treated with respect and dignity by staff. Patients commented they felt involved in their treatment and that it was fully explained to them.
  • Patients were able to make routine and emergency appointments when needed.
  • The practice had an effective complaints system in place and there was an openness and transparency in how these were dealt with.
  • Governance arrangements were in place for the smooth running of the practice.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

  • Review infection control guidance for Legionella prevention and the designation of clean and dirty zones in clinical areas. (Legionella is a term for particular bacteria which can contaminate water systems in buildings).
  • Review the practice's recruitment policy and procedures to ensure character references for new staff as well as qualification certificates are requested and recorded suitably. Employees should subsequently have regular appraisals to formally discuss their mandatory training, learning needs and aspirations.
  • Adopt a system to monitor and maintain fridge temperature.