During our inspection we saw that patients were asked to consent to treatment or interventions appropriately. Verbal or written consent was recorded on their records. Staff had an awareness of the procedure to follow if a patient was confused.

We saw evidence that a full oral health check was carried out during each routine check-up appointment. Patients were asked to complete a health questionnaire and this was updated at each consultation. Equipment was available and ready for use in the case of a medical emergency. Staff had received training in basic life support.

A recruitment policy was followed for all new staff members. We saw that staff were flexible and able to provide cover if there was an absence at short notice. There was a rota in place with other dentists in the area so emergency out of hours cover was available.

The provider had a process in place to assess and monitor the quality of the service they provided. We saw that where improvements were possible action plans were put in place.

We were unable to speak with patients during our inspection. Patient feedback was gathered from completed satisfaction surveys completed at the practice. The majority of patients rated the care they received from dentists and dental nurses as ‘excellent’. Patients’ comments included “[The staff are] very friendly, kind and always try to keep you calm” and “Staff always fit us in and provide the best, helpful treatment. They really look after me”.

We spoke with people using this service on the day of our visit. They told us that they were very pleased with the care and treatment. They said the staff were very caring, supportive and treated them with respect.

They told us the practice was very clean and easy to access. They said that they could always get emergency appointments and never waited too long to see the dentist at their appointments. They felt that their privacy was always maintained and that staff were very friendly and attentive.