Smiles 4 U Dental Care

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations and had taken into consideration appropriate guidance.

Find out what we look at when we assess this area in our information about our new Single assessment framework.

The judgement for Assessing needs is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The provider had systems to ensure that people who used the service received person-centred care and treatment that was appropriate, met their needs and was reflective of their personal preferences. The dentist confirmed, where applicable, they referred patients to a range of specialists in primary and secondary care for treatment the practice did not provide. This included referring patients with suspected cancer under the national Faster Diagnosis Standard. Improvements could be made to implement a system to ensure patient referrals to other dental or health care professionals are centrally monitored to ensure they are received in a timely manner and not lost. Following the assessment, we were sent evidence that a log to monitor referral outcomes had been implemented. Staff told us how they kept up to date with current evidence-based practice. The practice provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health. Staff felt the practice supported them to develop and enabled them to take on lead roles and responsibilities. Staff worked together and with other health and social care professionals to deliver effective care and treatment. Staff demonstrated their understanding of the need to obtain patients’ consent to care and treatment in line with legislation and guidance. They understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff described how they involved patients’ relatives or carers when appropriate and made sure they had enough time to explain treatment options clearly.

Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles. The practice had systems to keep dental professionals up to date with current evidence-based practice. We looked at 7 patient care records. The information recorded in these patient care records was mostly in line with recognised guidance. Some information such as the recording of risk assessments for caries, periodontal disease and cancer were not always present in the records we viewed. However, this had been identified and documented in the last record keeping audit action plan and was being addressed. We saw evidence the dentist usually justified, graded and reported on the radiographs they took. The practice had systems for the safe handling and prescribing of medicines. NHS prescription pads were kept securely, and a log was in place to monitor and track their use. Antimicrobial prescribing audits were carried out and had identified that antimicrobial prescribing was not always in-line with guidance, in particular by prescribing a 7-day course of antimicrobial medicines. We were advised that following our feedback the practice would review the guidance and would now follow this. Staff worked together and with other health and social care professionals to deliver effective care and treatment.

The judgement for How staff, teams and services work together is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Supporting people to live healthier lives is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Monitoring and improving outcomes is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Consent to care and treatment is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.