We spoke with a person who was awaiting treatment. They felt the dentist and nurses always explained matters and were sympathetic to their need, as this appointment was for a second part of treatment because the person preferred not to be undergoing too much treatment in one session. We were told that consent was always gained, both verbally and by signing the consent forms and that changes to medical history were always sought. We saw evidence of how the provider used patient surveys and feedback to inform improvements to the service.

We saw that the practice had a system for gaining consent and that forms were consistently completed. People's medical history and requirements informed the planning of care and treatments duly recorded. Emergency drugs were appropriate and available, and we saw other examples of the practice following published guidance.

The premises were clean and there were systems to minimise the risk of infection. The facility for decontaminating reusable instruments was due for imminent refurbishment which would make it compliant with the Department of Health's specification and the practice had instigated a procedure to ensure the existing facility could be used in the meantime.

Staff received regular training and supervisory support. The provider had a system for quality assurance and monitoring and we saw evidence that this was used to inform management decisions and policy review.