The Ivory Dental Practice

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 18 November 2022 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 was visibly 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.
• 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.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect and staff took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• There was effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and 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 dental clinic had information governance arrangements.
• The practice had some systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff. Improvements were needed to ensure the ongoing fire safety management was effective and risk assessments were undertaken for hazardous materials used in the practice.

Background

The Ivory Dental Practice is in West Hendon, in the London Borough of Barnet and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

The practice is located close to public transport links and car parking spaces are available nearby.

The practice is not accessible to people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. The practice communicated this to new patients before booking and they signposted people with mobility issues to nearby practices.

The dental team includes the principal dentist, a trainee dental nurse and a receptionist. The practice has 2 treatment rooms and a separate decontamination area.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist and the receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

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

• Take action to implement any recommendations in the practice's fire safety risk assessment and ensure ongoing fire safety management is effective.
• Improve the practice's processes for the control and storage of substances hazardous to health identified by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, to ensure risk assessments are undertaken.
• Take action to ensure the clinicians adopt an individual risk-based approach to patient recalls taking into account the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.