Archived: The Dentists Old Market

Updated 25 April 2016

The inspection was carried out on 14 March 2016 by a CQC inspector and a dental specialist advisor.

We asked the practice to provide a range of policies and procedures and other relevant information before the inspection. The information reviewed did not highlight any significant areas of risk across the five key question areas.

On the day of our inspection we looked at practice policies and protocols, dental patient records and other records relating to the management of the service. We spoke to the provider, two dentists, one hygienist and two dental nurses. We also reviewed the comments cards completed by patients.

We informed NHS England area team and Healthwatch we were inspecting the practice; however we did not receive any information of concern from them.

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

• Is it safe?

• Is it effective?

• Is it caring?

• Is it responsive to people’s needs?

• Is it well-led?

These questions therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 25 April 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 14 March 2016 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

Brief overview: The practice provides routine and complex dental care under private contract. The practice has surgeries on all floors of a converted industrial property. They are situated in a commercial area with metered roadside parking. The practice had been refurbished during the last five years and all treatment rooms have modern facilities .There are three treatment rooms, over two floors.

The practice premises are accessible to wheelchair users on the ground floor level.

Patients are registered with one of three dentists (male or female) and will see the same dentist on each visit, except in emergency or in the case of referral.

Services offered:

• Preventive advice and treatment
• Routine and restorative dental care
• Root canal treatment
• Dental hygiene
• Surgical treatment
• Crown and bridgework
• Restorative dentistry
• Implants
• Cosmetic dentistry: tooth straightening, veneers and dental implants are all available on the premises.
• Periodontist for diagnosis and treatment of gum disease.
• Oral surgeon ­for assessment and extraction of wisdom teeth and broken roots.
• Implantologist ­for the replacement of missing teeth with dental implants.
• Orthodontic screening ­for teeth straightening and braces.

Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 8.30am-5.00pm, Friday 8.30am- 1.00pm.

Out Of Hours - patients called 111 or the Dentists Old Market are part of a group out of hours service with four other practices who all participate in on call arrangements.

The principal dentist is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. 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.

We reviewed 47 comment cards that had been completed by patients. The comments made praised the treatment provided and the staff team. Patients said they received professional, caring and compassionate care in a very friendly and clean environment. They used comments such as first class service and excellent to describe their experience of the practice.

Our key findings were:

• There were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.
• All treatment rooms were well organised and equipped, with good light and ventilation.
• There were systems in place to check all equipment had been serviced regularly, including the air compressor, autoclave, fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinder and the X-ray equipment.
• Dentists regularly assessed patients according to appropriate guidance and standards including assessment of gum health and taking X-rays at appropriate intervals.
• Staff maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of patients.
• Staff were up to date with current guidelines and were led by a proactive management team.
• Staff were kind, caring, competent and put patients at their ease.

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

• Review the practice’s audit protocol for the dental care records to help improve the quality of service.
• Review the practice’s audit protocol for the radiographs so that all dentists are included which contributes to improving the quality of service.