People shared very positive experiences about their care and treatment. They told us they were made welcome, treated with respect and would recommend the dental practice to their family and friends. Comments included, “They genuinely take an interest in what they are doing and they’re all very friendly” and, “I really like the friendliness, they engage with me and really make me feel comfortable”. A member of staff told us, “I’m really proud to work for Smile Design. The patients are put first and their care is the centre of everything”.

We observed staff to be polite, helpful and respectful towards people who used the service. People were offered a choice of appointment times to suit them. People told us they liked receiving a telephone call, letter or email to remind them of their forthcoming appointment. The reception staff demonstrated a good understanding of maintaining patient confidentiality.

People told us their dentist took time to discuss their treatment options with them. This enabled them to make an informed decision about their treatment. People told us they were given good advice on how to care for their teeth and gums so that they were able to maintain good oral hygiene.

People said they found the practice clean and hygienic. We saw the practice had effective arrangements in place for the safe management of infection control. The head nurse was knowledgeable regarding infection control and decontamination procedures. There was evidence that equipment used had been maintained by specialist contractors.

The provider had made changes to staffing and invested in the premises to improve people’s overall experiences and outcomes.