Smiles Better Dental Care

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

We found this practice was providing well led care in accordance with the relevant regulations and had taken into consideration appropriate guidance. The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breach we found at our inspection on 5 March 2024.

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

The judgement for Shared direction and culture is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.

The judgement for Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.

The judgement for Freedom to speak up is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.

The judgement for Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.

Staff and leaders told us of the systems in place to manage risks for patients, staff, equipment and the premises. At the assessment on 22 October 2024 we found the practice had made the following improvements to comply with the regulation: We were shown how the systems had been improved to ensure staff had received appropriate vaccinations and the level of immunity was checked. These included the roll-out of updates across the group and the introduction of additional safeguards to prompt practice managers during the onboarding process. The practice had also made further improvements. The practice manager described the improvements that had been made to ensure staff are up to date with their mandatory training and their continuing professional development. These included changes to the group’s online platform where training is recorded and the introduction of a practice-level monitoring system. They felt confident this approach would ensure all training was up-to-date.

At the assessment on 22 October 2024 we found the practice had made the following improvements to comply with the regulation: All recommendations made in the previous fire risk assessment had been addressed. Changes to the group’s systems were introduced to ensure that interim arrangements would be in place to manage any risk until works could be completed. All recommendations made in the previous Legionella risk assessment had been addressed. We were also shown records of monthly temperature monitoring carried out by staff. Systems were in place to ensure any risks identified would be acted on promptly.

The judgement for Partnerships and communities is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.

The judgement for Learning, improvement and innovation is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Well-led key question.