University of Bristol Dental School

During an assessment under our new approach

We carried out this on-site announced inspection on 27 and 28 February 2025. We found the dental school had met regulations. The dental school had systems to manage risks. Infection control procedures followed published guidance. There was effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement. The University of Bristol Dental School occupies a 5-storey building in the city centre of Bristol. The school offers a range of services such as teaching, clinical training and research. These activities underpin the delivery of dental services and general oral health improvement of the communities it serves. It has been purposely designed so that oral care is delivered primarily by students who are supervised by registered dental care professionals. All treatments provided are free for adults and children. The school hosts 412 undergraduate and 60 postgraduate oral health students and has 119 treatment chairs. At the time of our inspection, the team consisted of 68 dentists, 4 oral surgeons, 4 orthodontists, 2 endodontists, 2 periodontists, 2 prosthodontists, 5 paediatric dentists, 2 special care dentists, 3 consultants in restorative dentistry, 7 dental therapists, 3 dental hygienists, 1 orthodontic therapist, 5 GDC registered technicians, 2 dental laboratory assistants, 3 dental radiographers, 22 qualified dental nurses, 15 trainee dental nurses, 16 patient administrators, 1 member of support staff, 4 sterilisation technicians and 3 members of the dental school management team.

During our visit we spoke with 2 clinical lecturers, 2 dental radiographers, a clinical senior lecturer, the head of dental nursing, deputy head of dental nursing, a lead dental nurse, a dental nurse, and a sterile services supervisor. We also spoke with the clinical co-director, who is the registered manager, the senior school manager, clinical governance and patient experience manager, dental clinical services manager, senior facilities and technical managers.

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During an assessment under our new approach

We carried out this on-site unannounced assessment on 5 July 2024.

We found the dental school had met regulations.

The dental school had systems to manage risks.

Infection control procedures followed published guidance.

There was effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.

The University of Bristol Dental School is in Bristol and provides free dental care and treatment for adults and children. Treatment is carried out by university dental students who are supervised by qualified clinicians.

At the time of our assessment, the dental team consisted of 55 dentists, 4 oral surgeons, 2 orthodontists, 2 endodontists, 2 periodontists, 1 orthodontic therapist, 3 dental radiographers, 5 paediatric dentists, 1 special care dentist, 2 consultants in restorative dentistry, 5 dental technicians, 5 clinical dental assistants, 4 sterilisation technicians, 22 dental nurses, 5 student dental nurses, 3 dental hygienists, 5 dental therapists, 17 administrators, 3 dental school management staff, 1 support staff and 9 visiting staff.

The dental school had 119 treatment chairs.

During the assessment we spoke with the sterile services manager, head of nursing, deputy head of nursing, school manager, clinical governance and patient experience lead, facilities manager, 4 members of the university support team and the registered manager.

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