We carried out this announced inspection on 9 November 2017 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We planned the inspection to check whether the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations. The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following five questions:

• Is it safe?

• Is it effective?

• Is it caring?

• Is it responsive to people’s needs?

• Is it well-led?

These questions form the framework for the areas we look at during the inspection.

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

Whitefield Dental Practice is in Manchester and provides private treatment to adults and children.

A portable ramp is available for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs but there are no disabled toilet facilities. On street parking is available near the practice.

The dental team includes one dentist, two part time dental nurses, two part time dental hygienists, and a receptionist. The practice has two treatment rooms. They offer implants with or without sedation that is carried out by a visiting dentist who attends with a sedationist as required.

The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers 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 registered manager at Whitefield Dental Practice was the principal dentist.

On the day of inspection we collected 47 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with the dentist, one dental nurse and the receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday to Thursday: 9.00 to 5.30pm (closed 1.00 -2.00pm for lunch)

Friday: 9.00 to 12.30pm

Saturdays: by prior arrangement

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
• The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice had effective leadership. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The practice proactively sought patient feedback about the services they provided.
• The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.

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

• Review the practice’s protocols for the use of rubber dam for root canal treatment giving due regard to guidelines issued by the British Endodontic Society.

• Review the practice’s protocols for conscious sedation, giving due regard to 2015 guidelines published by The Intercollegiate Advisory Committee on Sedation in Dentistry in the document 'Standards for Conscious Sedation in the Provision of Dental Care 2015.