Safeguarding: the role of the dental nurse in practice

Dental nurses have a continuing role in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, as expected in Outcome 7, one of the core Care Quality Commission's (CQC) 16 quality and safety standards (CQC, 2010). Safeguarding training should be provided by every practice.

Since compulsory CQC registration of all providers of primary dental services, the CQC reports that they have found that dental services are providing very good service care compared to other types of health or social care services, and are meeting government standards to ensure the quality and safety of care. CQC inspections reports of dental practice are available on the CQC website (www.cqc.org.uk/content/how-are-we-doing-our-inspection-reports). As an independent regulator of health and social care services in England, the CQC has produced a report called A Fresh Start for the Regulation and Inspection of Primary Care Dental Services (CQC, 2014), which outlines a new approach to inspection working, together with other dental regulatory services.