We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 4 July 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

The practice provides a range of private dental services for both adults and children around the Haworth area and beyond.

The dental practice treatment room is based on the ground floor of a converted building. There is a comfortable waiting room, reception area, decontamination room, staff room/kitchen and office area.

The practice has one dentist and two long standing dental nurse/receptionists.

The practice is open Monday –Thursday 09:00 am to 3.00pm with a late opening on a Monday evening and additional emergency cover provided by the dentist.

The owner/ dentist is registered as an individual with the CQC. 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.

Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission comment cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We received feedback from 13 patient comment cards which all gave positive comments about the care and treatment received at the practice. In addition we spoke with one patient on the day of our inspection. Feedback was positive about the care they received from the practice.

Our key findings were:

• The practice had systems to assess and manage risks to patients, including infection prevention and control and health and safety.
• Premises were well maintained and a tour of the building confirmed that good cleaning and infection control systems were in place.
• There was appropriate equipment and access to emergency drugs to enable the practice to respond to medical emergencies. This included an external defibrillator. Staff had been trained to manage medical emergencies.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand.

After the visit we spoke with patients who use the service via telephone and we also looked at the dental practice patient feedback surveys dated January 2012 and January 2011. Patients that used the practice told us that they were satisfied with the practice and the staff. People felt they were given relevant information about their treatment options and were able to talk with the dentist and staff about their treatment. People found the staff to be friendly and told us that they were treated with respect. People also told us that the practice was a good place to get treatment for their teeth and gums.

People spoke positively about the staff, these are some of the comments people made: "it is the best dental experience that I have had", "I am very pleased with the treatment", "they know me by name and they make small talk", "they couldn't be more pleasant", "they are very professional", "I'm terrified of dentists but they put me at ease at all times", "I drive over two hours to go to this dentist, I just wish he was closer to home" and "I've been coming here for years and will always come back here".