We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 29 March 2017 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.

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

Dyke Road dental practice is a general dental practice in Hove, East Sussex, offering private dental treatment to adults and children. The practice is situated in the centre of Hove.

The practice has one treatment room and a reception/waiting area. The main entrance to the practice is located to the side of the building on the ground floor. The practice is located on the ground floor.

The practice is open Mondays to Wednesdays from 9.00am until 5.30pm, Thursdays from 9.00am until 1.00pm and closed on Fridays.

Dyke Road has one principal dentist, one dental nurse and a practice manager.

The principal dentist and the practice manager are the registered managers. 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.

Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission (CQC) comments cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We collected 35 completed cards. All of the comments cards provided a positive view of the service the practice provides. Patients commented that staff were kind, caring and professional.

Our key findings were:

• There were systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. The practice was visibly clean and well maintained.
• There were systems in place to check all equipment had been serviced regularly, including the steriliser, fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinder and the X-ray equipment.
• The practice had effective systems in place to gain the comments and views of people who used the service.
• Patients were satisfied with the treatment they received and were complimentary about staff at the practice.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their professional development.
• We observed that staff showed a caring and attentive approach towards patients. All patients were recognised and greeted warmly on arrival at reception.
• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• Staff told us they were proud of the practice and their team. Staff told us they felt well supported and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the practice's protocols for completion of dental care records taking into account guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice regarding clinical examinations and record keeping.