We looked at seven sets of patient records and spoke with the practice manager, four members of staff and three people who used the service.

The practice obtained people’s consent to treatments and made them aware of any costs involved before starting a treatment programme. People we spoke with said that they knew about any charges before they agreed to treatment.

People told us that they were pleased with the service. When asked if they had confidence in the staff one person said “Without a doubt.” Another person said that they had recommended the practice to other people. Another person told us “I used to be terrified of dentists. The more I’ve seen [this dentist] the less anxious I’ve become.”

The practice took steps to minimise the risk of infection. We observed one of the nurses undertaking the decontamination of instruments at the end of the morning session. They carried out the process according to the required procedure, which was displayed clearly in the room.

Staff told us that they were supported to meet the requirements of their professional registration with the GDC. The practice had a system of annual appraisals for staff which was documented formally. The experiences and views of patients were obtained through surveys, a comments book and a comments box. People's feedback was used to inform the way in which services were provided. The practice also had systems in place to monitor quality and minimise risk.