We spoke with five people on the day of our inspection and all were happy with the treatment they received at the practice. We were told that good explanations were given and there was opportunity to ask questions. One person who had visited the hygienist on the day of our inspection told us "they are excellent, if I have a problem they always come up with a solution". Another person commented, that "if I didn't understand, they'd explain again". The positive comments that we received were also reflected in the results of the last patient feedback survey.

People who used the practice were protected because staff were aware of their duty to safeguard children and vulnerable adults. Policies and procedures were in place to support them in this. There were medications in place to deal with medical emergencies and staff had received training in this.

There were procedures in place to decontaminate surgical instruments and reduce the risks of cross infection. However, we did identify some steps that could be taken to reduce the risks further and ensure that procedures were in line with the HTM 01-05 (Health Technical Memorandum 01-05). This is the guidance that all dentists must follow to ensure that their practice is safe and minimises the risks of cross infection.

Quality and safety at the practice was monitored through a programme of audit, which included looking at the quality of radiographs and infection control.