The Whiter Smile Limited

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 2 October 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.

Background

The Whiter Smile Limited (also known as) Liverpool Street Dental Clinic, is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The practice is part of a group of three practices which form the ‘Baker Street Dental Group.’

The Liverpool Street Dental Clinic premises consist of two treatment rooms, a dedicated decontamination room and an X-ray room. There are also toilet facilities, a waiting room, a reception area, an administrative office and a store room.

The practice provides private dental services and treats both adults and children. The practice offers a range of dental services including routine examinations and treatment, veneers, crowns and oral hygiene.

The staff structure of the practice is comprised three dentists, a specialist orthodontist, two dental nurses, two receptionists and a practice manager.

The practice manager is the registered manager. 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.

The practice is open Monday to Sunday from 9:00am to 5:00pm. The inspection took place over one day and was carried out by a CQC inspector and a dental specialist advisor.

We received 25 CQC comment cards completed by patients who were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the friendly and caring attitude of the staff.

Our key findings were:

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned in line with best practice guidance, such as from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

• Equipment, such as the autoclave (steriliser), fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinder and X-ray equipment had all been checked for effectiveness and had been regularly serviced.

• The practice ensured staff maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of patients.

• Patients indicated that they felt they were listened to and that they received good care from a helpful and patient practice team.

• The practice had implemented clear procedures for managing comments, concerns or complaints.

• The practice had a clear vision for the services it provided and staff told us they were well supported by the management team.

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

• Review staff awareness and training to manage medical emergencies giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK), and the General Dental Council (GDC) standards for the dental team.

• Review the practice’s protocols for recording in the patients’ dental care records or elsewhere the reason for taking the X-ray and quality of the X-ray giving due regard to the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IR(ME)R) 2000.