Archived: Bourbon Street Dental Care

We found the practice to be clean and hygienic. We saw how people's confidentiality was maintained by the reception staff, by not disclosing personal information on the telephone, and records were stored securely in locked cupboards.

We found staff to be friendly and professional. We read in patients notes medical histories were taken at each appointment, and treatment plans were signed by patients to demonstrate their consent to treatment.

One patient told us 'I had an emergency appointment last night and another one today.' This showed the practice responded quickly to patient's needs. Another patient told us the practice felt 'calm.' They said as a result of this 'none of my children have a fear of coming to the dentist.'

We found that although policies were in place for child protection, they were not in place for safeguarding vulnerable adults. We found the majority of staff were not aware of the impact of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 on dental practice. Procedures for safeguarding adults and MCA required further development in terms of staff training, policies and guidance for staff.