We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 23 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

There are two providers of dental services operating from the premises. They are

Ms. Christine Lupin who is responsible for The Faversham Dental Practice

and

Dr. Richard Linton who is responsible for Faversham Dental Practice.

Each provider is a sole practitioner.

The two providers have shared staff, policies, processes, equipment and accommodation. We inspected both providers at the same time. There is a separate report for each provider.

Faversham Dental Practice is a mixed dental practice providing both NHS and private treatment. The practice caters for children and adults and is situated in the town centre.

The practice provides services on two levels and has three treatment rooms, one of which is unused as it is awaiting refurbishment. There is a decontamination room, a reception and a waiting area. The surgery is up a steep flight of stairs and is unsuitable for wheelchair users.

The provider is the registered person. A registered person is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

Faversham Dental Practice has one dentist, one dental hygienist who provided preventative advice and treatments on prescription from the dentist working at the practice. The dentist and hygienist are supported by two dental nurses, and a receptionist.

Before our inspection we sent Care Quality Commission comment cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of using the practice. We collected 13 cards that referred to Faversham Dental Practice and 42 cards that referred generically to “the practice”. All provided a positive view of the service the practice provides. Patients commented that the staff at Faversham Dental Practice were compassionate and caring. They were efficient and friendly. Patients remarked on the fact that the dentist provided sound advice on preventing dental problems.

There were 42 comment cards that referred to the practice generically. Excellence was a theme that ran through them. Many patients remarked on the high quality of the treatment provided. Patients commented on the cleanliness of the establishment. We talked with two patients whose comments supported this.

Our key findings were:

• Staff were aware of the need to report incidents and there were policies to help ensure that any incidents would be used for shared learning and improvement
• The practice was visibly clean and well maintained
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with current guidance.
• The practice had effective safeguarding processes and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The practice placed an emphasis on the promotion of good oral health and provided regular oral health advice to patients.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their role and were supported in their continued professional development.
• Information from the completed comment cards gave us a positive picture of a friendly, caring and professional service.
• The practice took into account comments, suggestions and complaints and used these to make improvements to the service.
• Staff were well supported and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

People told us that they were happy with the service provided. They said they were given enough information about treatment options, the cost of different treatments and were able to ask all the questions they wanted to. People told us that they found the staff to be friendly and said that they were treated with respect and their privacy was protected. They said that appointments were flexible to meet their needs and the surgery was clean and comfortable. People said that they had no complaints.