During our visit to the Oxford Dental Centre we met with the dentist / registered manager, the practice manager and the dental nurse. At the time of the visit the surgery was closed except for emergency patients. This was due to building work taking place in order for new equipment to be installed. Two of the three surgeries were not being used at the time of the visit. The building work did not compromise the cross contamination process for the third surgery. No appointments had been made during our visit. At the invitation of the dentist we returned a week later but were still not able to see the practice working. We were unable to speak directly to patients in the surgery but obtained the views of six patients by phone. We looked at treatment records for three patients.

All the patients we spoke with had been with the practice for many years. One person we spoke with said “I have been coming here for years long before the present dentist bought the practice”. Patients we spoke with told us they were given enough information to make a decision. One person said “when I had complicated treatment I was shown what was going to happen through a computer programme. It was very good and I knew exactly what to expect”. Patients told us that “it’s a very friendly professional practice”. Another told us “over the years many staff have come and gone but they have always been very good. The one [dental receptionist] they have now is very friendly and polite”. A further patient added “10 out of 10”.

We looked at treatment plans which evidenced that patients were being given a range of options and were given time to consider these options prior to commencing their treatment.

We saw that all areas of the practice were very clean on the day of our visit. Patients we spoke with told us “I have never seen it anything but clean” another said “it’s always very clean and tidy”.

Staff we spoke with told us they "were happy working here” and “The dentist is supporting me through my CPD training” and “I am nearing the end of my course I am enjoying doing the training”.

The practice could gain more feedback from patients who used the service verbally, by questionnaire and patients could be asked to comment anonymously by suggestion box. Patients we spoke with told us they did not know how to make a formal complaint. One person said “but I would find out if I needed to”