We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 30 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.

St George’s Dental Practice is a general dental practice in Brighton, East Sussex, offering NHS and private dental treatment to adults and children.

The practice is situated in the centre of Brighton. The practice has three dental treatment rooms, a decontamination room for the cleaning, sterilising and packing of dental instruments, two waiting areas and a reception area. The treatment rooms are located on the ground floor and first floor. The practice has disabled access at the front of the building and patients with mobility difficulties can be treated on the ground floor.

The practice is open Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.30pm and Saturday 9.00am to 1.00pm.

St George’s Dental Practice has four dentists (one of whom is the registered manager), five dental nurses (two of whom are trainees) and one hygienist. The clinical team are supported by two receptionists. 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.

Before the inspection we sent CQC comments cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We collected 13 completed cards. All of the comments cards provided a positive view of the service the practice provides. Patients commented that staff were professional, friendly and supportive. Patients wrote that they were treated with dignity and care. Two patients also commented that the environment was clean and hygienic. We also spoke with four patients during our inspection who were highly satisfied with the treatment and support they received at the practice.

Our key findings were:

• There were systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. The practice was visibly clean and well maintained.
• The practice had effective systems in place to gain the comments and views of people who used the service.
• Patients were highly satisfied with the treatment they received and were complimentary about staff at the practice.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD).
• We observed that staff showed a caring approach towards patients. All patients were greeted warmly on arrival at reception.
• The dental care records we looked at provided full and accurate details of the treatment and care which patients received.

• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• Staff were proud of the practice and their team. Staff felt well supported and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

During our inspection we spoke with seven patients. We spoke with seven staff; these were the practice manager, two of the dentists, the head nurse, a dental nurse, the hygienist and the administrator.

We also took information from other sources to help us understand the views of people who used the service, which included a patient satisfaction survey and staff meeting minutes.

The patients we spoke with told us they thought they received good dental treatment from the dentists. One patient told us, “The dentist is brilliant here and doesn’t do any unnecessary work like my last dentist.” Another patient told us, “Excellent dentist. Very kind and you can talk to them.”

Staff knew their role in protecting vulnerable adults and children from abuse. A member of staff that we spoke with told us, "Safeguarding is about the welfare and safety of children and vulnerable adults. I would have no issue raising any concerns with the dentist if I suspected any form of abuse.”

The practice was following appropriate guidance in relation to infection control and the staff were supported to carry out their responsibilities in relation to infection control. One of the dentists that we spoke with told us, “The infection control procedures here are good especially as it is now centred in one room. For a small practice, I am very confident in the procedures.”

The practice had systems in place to assess and continually review the service that it provided and was making improvements where needed.