During our visit we spoke with six people who were either patients or parents of patients. Everybody we spoke with told us that the orthodontist discussed the treatment options that were available. We spoke with four young patients who were attending with their parents. They told us that the orthodontist spoke directly to them to make sure they understood the commitment they needed to make to complete their orthodontic treatment.

One of the families we spoke with told us that the orthodontist had discussed possible treatments with them. This had resulted in them being referred for a second opinion from a hospital consultant. They said: “We really appreciated the dentist checking with the consultant”. This meant they felt reassured they were getting the best possible advice and treatment.

Staff were able to describe the decontamination procedures in operation within the surgery. They ensured that clinical areas were appropriately cleaned between patients. The practice used single use equipment where ever possible.

The practice as part of their NHS contract was required to monitor the treatment they carried out. This was done by analysing a sample of patients to measure the improvement in their orthodontic status following treatment. This was done by a peer assessment rating (PAR) score.