We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 28 September 2016 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

Ravenshead Dental Practice is a dental practice which provides private dental treatment. The practice is located in premises in the village of Ravenshead in north Nottinghamshire to the south of Mansfield. There is a small public car park available to the side of the practice; otherwise there is roadside parking in the area. The practice has two treatment rooms, both of which are on the first floor.

Services provided include general dentistry, dental hygiene, crowns and bridges, and root canal treatment.

The practice’s opening hours are – Monday: 7:15 am to 7 pm; Tuesday: 7:15 am to 5:45 pm; Wednesday: 7:15 am to 7:15 pm; Thursday: 7:15 am to 6:15 pm and Friday: 7:15 am to 4 pm. The practice opened two Saturdays per month from 7:45 am to 3:30 pm.

Access for urgent treatment outside of opening hours is by telephoning the practice and following the instructions on the answerphone message.

The principal dentist is the registered manager. 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.

The practice has two dentists; one dental therapist; and five qualified dental nurses who also work on the reception desk.

We received positive feedback from 51 patients about the services provided. This was through CQC comment cards left at the practice prior to the inspection and by speaking with patients in the practice.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was visibly clean and tidy.
• Records showed there were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• Patients at the practice and through CQC comment cards provided positive feedback about their experiences at the practice.
• Patients said they were treated with dignity and respect.
• The practice was well equipped.
• Dentists identified the different treatment options, and discussed these with patients.
• Patients’ confidentiality was maintained.
• The practice followed the relevant guidance from the Department of Health's: ‘Health Technical Memorandum 01-05 (HTM 01-05) for infection control with regard to cleaning and sterilizing dental instruments.
• There was a whistleblowing policy accessible to all staff, who were aware of procedures to follow if they had any concerns.
• The practice had the necessary equipment for staff to deal with medical emergencies, and staff had been trained how to use that equipment. This included an automated external defibrillator, oxygen and emergency medicines.

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

• Review the practice’s sharps procedures giving due regard to the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 and National Institute for Healthcare Excellence (NICE) guidelines: ‘Healthcare-associated infections: prevention and control in primary and community care’