We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 27 April 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

Pennypot Dental Hythe is a practice situated near Hythe town centre. The premises is a purpose built dental practice. There are five treatment rooms, a waiting lounge and a toilet for patients' use. The practice has a separate decontamination room used for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments.

The practice team consisted of four dentists, four dental therapists, one hygienist, three dental nurses and a trainee dental nurse. The clinical team are supported by three reception staff.

The provider is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. 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.

The practice is open from 8am to 5pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 8am to 7pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.

The practice provides NHS and private dental services for both adults and children, including general dentistry, intermediate minor oral surgery, specialist endodontic treatment, prosthodontic treatment and intra-venous sedation.

Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission comment cards to the practice for patients to use to tell us about their experience of the practice. We collected 7 completed cards and obtained the views of a further 8 patients on the day of the inspection.

The inspection was carried out by a lead inspector and a dental specialist adviser.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was visibly clean and a number of patients mentioned that the practice was always clean and hygienic. The practice had systems to assess and manage infection prevention and control.

• The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had clear processes for dealing with medical emergencies and for ensuring that appropriate dental equipment was available and regularly maintained.
• Dental care records provided clear and detailed information about patients’ care and treatment.
• Staff received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development.
• Patients were able to make routine and emergency appointments when needed.
• Patients received a responsive service and staff treated them in a thoughtful, respectful and professional way.
• The practice had governance processes to manage the practice effectively.