The report shows that of over 1,100 practices inspected last year, only 2 per cent required enforcement action, and only 10 per cent needed improvement in specific areas, with 88 per cent meeting the required standards in all five key areas assessed. Ninety-six per cent were found to be safe, 99 per cent judged effective, 100 per cent were responsive and caring, and the vast majority of improvements required were in relation to practice leadership.
Ian Mills, Vice-Dean of FGDP(UK) and a member of the CQC Dental Reference Group, commented:
“The dental profession should be justifiably proud of this report. The CQC’s annual review provides further evidence that dentistry is delivered to a consistently high standard, despite the various challenges facing general dental practice. The role of the wider dental team, in particular practice managers, is highlighted as key in delivering high quality care through strong leadership and management. It is testimony to the dedication of our workforce that dentistry outperforms other professions in providing safe, effective and well-led healthcare.
“Members of the dental team will appreciate that inspection can be a stressful and onerous process, even for the most organised of practices. This has been acknowledged by the CQC dental staff, who have been eager to engage with stakeholders, including the FGDP (UK), and have shown a willingness to respond to feedback in an attempt to reduce regulatory burden and promote quality improvement, rather than simply focusing on quality assurance. The recently published results would appear to vindicate this approach and suggest that dentistry is once again leading the field in delivering high quality patient care.”