During our visit to Friars Walk Dental Surgery on 12 November 2012 we spoke with four people. Everyone told us they were treated politely. One person told us that as a family they had used the service for many years, even when the provider had different premises. One young person said, “The dental nurse always smiles and that reassures me.”

Throughout the visit we saw that people were provided with a lot of information about the service and the treatment options available to them. This indicated that people were supported to make choices.

The service had opening hours to suit people who worked and young people who were at school. One person said, “It is important my daughter does not miss school for this treatment.”

We observed the reception staff helping people to arrange appointments at times that best suited them. The service offered appointments that included two evenings and three out of four Saturdays. This showed a respect for people’s working lives.

People told us the staff were all very approachable. One person said of the staff “They are marvellous, I almost enjoy coming to the dentist.”

People were treated in an environment that was clean and tidy throughout and the audits that staff carried out ensured that infection control practices were followed to keep the people receiving treatment safe.