Treetops Dental Surgery & Norwich Dental Implant Centre

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 16 January 2024 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. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• 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

Treetops Dental Surgery & Norwich Dental Implant Centre is in Norwich and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements. The practice is not wheelchair accessible due to the age and status of the building (grade II listed). Patients who require wheelchair access are signposted to a nearby practice which is fully accessible and also offers NHS and private care. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for disabled people, are available near the practice in a public car park.

The dental team includes 5 dentists, 2 dental nurses, 3 trainee dental nurses, 2 dental hygienists, 1 practice manager and 3 receptionists. The practice has 5 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 3 dentists, 3 dental nurses, 1 dental hygienist, 2 receptionists 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 Friday 8.30am until 5.15pm.

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

• Improve the practice's protocols and procedures for the use of X-ray equipment in compliance with The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 and taking into account the guidance for Dental Practitioners on the Safe Use of X-ray Equipment, in particular regarding the use of rectangular collimators on intra-oral units.
• Take action to ensure that, where appropriate, audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.