Our visit was arranged two days in advance. This was to ensure that we had time to meet with staff working at the practice, as well as people registered with the service.

We saw computerised patient records which were up to date. Records we saw showed that people were included in discussions about their treatment options, before they agreed to any treatment. People told us that treatment was arranged at a time convenient to them. Costs involved in treatment were discussed. People we spoke with told us they were happy with the care they received. We were told “The dentist did a thorough mouth check. I was given information about how to look after my teeth." "They were great, they explained everything that was going to happen."

We saw that the dental practice looked clean. People we spoke with told us that the surgery was always clean and that dentists and dental nurses wore protective clothing. We saw records to demonstrate that the surgery was cleaned regularly.

We saw annual staff appraisal records, we were told that weekly dental team talk meetings took place and staff meetings were also held every six to eight weeks. From records seen and discussions with the practice manager we noted that staff received the necessary support to enable them to do their job.

Quality assurance systems included satisfaction surveys,a suggestions box and various audits undertaken by the practice manager. Robust quality assurance systems were in place.