71 Dental

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. Preventive oral health care was encouraged.

Staff felt the practice supported them to develop and enabled them to take on responsibilities.

Staff kept up-to-date with current evidence-based practice, and had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles.

The practice offered dental implants. They also provided a consultant-led NHS minor oral surgery service for patients aged 10 and over, that did not require hospital treatment in central Lancashire. Postgraduate dental trainees working under consultants also provided oral surgery care. Oral surgery care was provided by dental specialty oral surgeons, and medical specialty oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and included the management of dentally anxious and medically complex patients. It was aimed at providing shorter waiting times in a local primary care setting. Staff provided comprehensive treatment plans, obtained full consent, kept detailed records and had access to the appropriate equipment for these services.

We looked at a selection of patient care records. The information recorded in these patient care records was in line with recognised guidance. Staff obtained patients’ consent for treatment in line with legislation and guidance, and 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.

We saw evidence the dentists 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.

Where applicable, we saw that patients were referred to primary and secondary care specialists for treatment the practice did not provide. This included referring patients with suspected cancer under the national Faster Diagnosis Standard. The skill mix of the team and consultants working on site supported the team to quickly identify and refer any suspicious lesions.

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.