We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 14 September 2015 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 regulations

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

Olsen’s Dental Practice Ltd is located in Queen’s Park in North West London. The practice provides private dental services to adults and children. The practice offers a range of dental services including oral health promotion and hygiene, routine examinations and treatment, bridges, implants and some orthodontic procedures. The practice also offers cosmetic dental and facial procedures.

The premises are arranged over the ground and first floors and include two treatment rooms, one of which is on the first floor and is primarily used by the dental hygienist. The practice has a reception area with seating and an accessible toilet.

The practice is staffed by one principal dentist, (who is the owner), and two regular associate dentists. The practice employs two practice nurses and a receptionist. The practice team also includes two dental hygienists.

The practice is open Monday to Saturday. The practice opening hours vary by day with the practice opening at 8.00am on Tuesday and Thursday and until 8.00pm on Monday night.

The principal dentist is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

The inspection took place over one day and was carried out by a team of CQC inspectors, and a dentist specialist advisor.

Twenty-one patients provided feedback about the service. Patients we spoke with, and those who completed comment cards, were positive about the care they received from the practice. Patients described the service as friendly and told us the quality of treatment was good. They said they were kept informed, including about the costs, and involved in decisions about their care.

Our key findings were:

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned in line with current guidance, such as from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

• Equipment, such as the air compressor, autoclave (steriliser), fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinder and X-ray equipment had all been checked for effectiveness and had been regularly serviced.

• The practice ensured staff maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of patients.

• Patients indicated that they felt they were listened to and that they received good care from a helpful and patient practice team.

• The practice had implemented clear procedures for managing comments, concerns or complaints.

• The principal dentist had a clear vision for the practice and staff told us they were well supported by the dentist and their colleagues.

• Governance arrangements and audits were effective in improving the quality and safety of the services.

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

• Review the practice’s protocols for recording in the patients’ dental care records or elsewhere the reason for taking the X-ray and quality of the X-ray giving due regard to the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IRMER) 2000.
• Review the processes in place to routinely monitor the fridge temperature.