With every decision, we've thought about what our patients want.

Mission statement

Honesty, trust & respect. That’s how we like to work. That’s reflected in our logo, which depicts the much-loved, old-fashioned garden plant Honesty. Some might say our attitude to service is a little bit old-fashioned, as we put the patient first and go out of our way to make every visit a pleasure. Every decision we take has the needs and wishes of our patients at its heart.

Our aim is to create a welcoming environment in which our team of professionals provide the highest standard of care:

  • We’re always looking for new and innovative treatments using the latest technology available
  • We promise to listen with respect and respond to your concerns
  • We believe in openness and transparency so we’ll always clearly state the cost of proposed treatment in advance
  • We’ll do our best to run on time
  • We’ll provide dental work of the very highest standard in a relaxed and welcoming environment
  • We’ll always be professional, straightforward and caring towards our patients

Our standards

Here at Honesty we have set our standard high. With every decision we have thought about what our patients want and our team ensure the very best dental care each time you visit or contact us.
Complaints procedure
Practice policy
Data protection
GDC & CQC complaint

Complaints Procedure

Open and accountable

In this practice we take complaints very seriously and try to ensure that all our patients are pleased with their experience of our service. If patients complain, they are dealt with courteously and promptly so that the matter is resolved as quickly as possible.

This procedure is based on these objectives. Our aim is to react to complaints in the way in which we would want our complaint about a service to be handled. We learn from every mistake that we make and we respond to customers’ concerns in a caring and sensitive way.

1. The person responsible for dealing with any complaint about the service that we provide is Carole Denny, our Complaints Manager.

2. If a patient complains on the telephone or at the reception desk, we will listen to their complaint and offer to refer him or her to the Complaints Manager immediately. If the Complaints Manager is not available at the time, then the patient will be told when they will be able to talk to the dentist and arrangements will be made for this to happen. The member of staff will take brief details of the complaint and pass them on. If we cannot arrange this within a reasonable period or if the patient does not wish to wait to discuss the matter, arrangements will be made for someone else to deal with it.

3. If the patient complains in writing the letter will be passed on immediately to the Complaints Manager.

4. If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care or associated charges it will normally be referred to the dentist, unless the patient does not want this to happen.

5. We will acknowledge the patient’s complaint in writing and enclose a copy of this code of practice as soon as possible, normally within3 working days.

6. We will seek to investigate the complaint within 10 working days of receipt to give an explanation of the circumstances which led to the complaint. If the patient does not wish to meet us, then we will attempt to talk to them on the telephone. If we are unable to investigate the complaint within 10 working days we will notify the patient, giving reasons for the delay and a likely period within which the investigation will be completed.

7. We will confirm the decision about the complaint in writing immediately after completing our investigation.

8. Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received.

9. If patients are not satisfied with the result of our procedure then a complaint may be made to:

(a) The Dental Complaints Service, The Lansdowne Building, 2 Lansdowne Road, Croydon, Greater London CR9 2ER (Telephone: 08456 120540) for complaints about private treatment.

(b) The General Dental Council, 37 Wimpole Street, London W1M 8DQ (Telephone: 0845 224141), the dentists’ regulatory body for complaints about professional misconduct.

(c) Care quality Commission, CQC National Customer Service Centre, City Gate, Gallogate, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 4PA (cqc.org.uk).

Practice Policy

Dedicated care & quality commitment

Our practice aims to provide dental care of a consistent quality for all patients; we strive to meet the high standards expected in any clinical setting. We expect all members of our dental team to work to these standards to help us achieve our aim of providing a quality service.

Our management systems define each practice member’s responsibilities when looking after you.The policies, systems and processes in place in our practice, reflect our professional and legal responsibilities and follow recognised standards of good practice.

At Honesty Dental Care, we aim to achieve the best results for our patients through clear policies and systems and appropriately trained and competent team members. We evaluate our practice on a regular basis through audit, peer review and patient feedback and monitor the effectiveness of our quality assurance procedures.

We work with external agencies including the British Dental Association Information Governance and other organisations.

Quality standards and procedures

Honesty Dental Care has effective procedures for assuring and enhancing the quality of the services we provide for our patients. (We are also a member of the BDA’s Good Practice Scheme.)

In providing our patients with care of a consistent quality, we will:

(a) Provide a safe and welcoming environment

(b) Ensure all members of the dental team are appropriately trained

(c) Provide patient with information about the practice and the care available and ensure the patient understands the terms on which care is offered

(d) Display indicative treatment charges

(e) Explain all treatment options and agree clinical decisions with the patient explaining the possible risks involved with each option

(f) Provide treatment plans based on the agreed treatment with an estimate of the likely costs

(g) Obtain valid consent is for all treatment. Written consent will be sought for extensive or expensive treatments and treatment provided under conscious sedation

(h) Refer to specialists for investigation or treatment as appropriate and without undue delay

(i) Maintain contemporaneous clinical records with an up-to-date medical history for all patients

(j) Provide secure storage of patient records to maintain patient confidentiality

(k) Explain the procedure to follow for raising a complaint about the service, identifying the practice contact

(l) Display the BDA Good Practice Scheme plaque and have information about the scheme available to patients.

(m) Provide induction training for all new team members

(n) Provide job descriptions and contracts of employment to all members of staff.

(o) Review and update job descriptions annually to reflect current duties and responsibilities

(p) Agree in writing the terms for all self-employed contractors working at the practice

(q) Provide ongoing training and identify opportunities for development for all employees

(r) Maintain staff records ensuring the following information is up to date:

  • relevant medical history information
  • emergency contact details
  • absence through holiday and sickness
  • performance reviews
  • in house and external training

(s) Ensure that all staff are kept up to date with all practice policies and procedures, including patient charges and the relevant forms.

The dental team

Team members implement and adhere to the practice policies and procedures which are readily accessible in the Policies and protocol folders in the PCR (Patient consultation room).

All new member of the team receive training in practice-wide procedures, policies and quality assurance activities as part of their induction. Appraisal meetings take place annually and include an assessment of training needs.

We expect everyone working at the practice to:

(a) Understand our aims and objectives

(b) Have an understanding of the skills and competencies required to deliver the services successfully

(c) Understand and participate in our quality assurance activities

(d) Dealing with emergencies, including a collapsed patient

Dentists and, where appropriate, hygienists also understand the policies and procedures for:

(a) Referring patients

(b) Requesting work from laboratories

(c) Ordering materials and equipment

(d) Clinical governance requirements and CQC standards of quality and safety

(e) Professional and legal requirements affecting dentistry

All GDC registrants meet their continuing professional development requirements and, as required by the GDC, maintain records of their individual CPD activity. In addition, the practice maintains records of all practice-wide training it provides and training provided for individual members.

BDA Good Practice Scheme

As a member of the BDA’s Good Practice Scheme we are committed to supporting our patients towards achieving and maintaining good oral health. As part of this commitment, we

1. Involve our patients in all aspects of their care and ensure that their needs and preferences are considered and that they can take informed decisions.

2. Ensure a safe environment by undertaking risk assessments and managing potential hazards within the practice. We follow current guidelines for preventing cross-infection.

3. Recruit staff that are competent to undertake the duties associated with their role and provide training where required. We encourage on-going professional development for all members of our team.

4. Monitor the quality of the service we provide and seek the views of our patients to identify opportunities for improvement.

BDA Good Practice Scheme Practice of the Year 2013/2014

Data protection

Maintaining your privacy

In providing your dental care and treatment, we will ask for information about you and your health. Occasionally, we may receive information from other providers who have been involved in providing your care. This privacy notice describes the type of personal information we hold, why we hold it and what we do with it. Please note: all calls to the practice are recorded for training and monitoring purposes. If you do not wish recordings of you to be retained, please inform us at the practice in writing.

Information that we collect

We may collect the following information about you:

  • Personal details such as your name, date of birth, address, telephone number and email address
  • Information about your dental and general health, including:
    • Clinical records made by dentists and other dental professionals involved with your care and treatment
    • X-rays, clinical photographs, digital scans of your mouth and teeth, and study models
    • Medical and dental histories
    • Treatment plans and consent
    • Notes of conversations with you about your care
    • Dates of your appointments
    • Details of any complaints you have made and how these complaints were dealt with
    • Correspondence with other health professionals or institutions
  • Details of the fees we have charged, the amounts you have paid and some payment details

Richard Denny is responsible for keeping secure the information about you that we hold.

Those at the practice who have access to your information include dentists and other dental professionals involved with your care and treatment, and the reception staff responsible for the management and administration of the practice.

How we use your information

To provide you with the dental care and treatment that you need, we require up-to-date and accurate information about you.

We will share your information with Systems for Dentists and Patient Plan Direct in connection with your dental treatment.

We will seek your preference for how we contact you about your dental care. Our usual methods are telephone, email, letter or text.

If we wish to use your information for dental research or dental education, we will discuss this with you and seek your consent. Depending on the purpose and if possible, we will anonymise your information. If this is not possible we will inform you and discuss your options.

All calls to the practice are recorded for training and monitoring purposes.

Sharing information

Your information is normally used only by those working at the practice but there may be instances where we need to share it – for example, with:

  • Your doctor
  • The hospital or community dental services or other health professionals caring for you
  • Private dental schemes of which you are a member.

We will only disclose your information on a need-to-know basis and will limit any information that we share to the minimum necessary.

In certain circumstances or if required by law, we may need to disclose your information to a third party not connected with your health care, including HMRC or other law enforcement or government agencies.

Keeping your information safe

We store your personal information securely on our practice computer system. Your information cannot be accessed by those who do not work at the practice; only those working at the practice have access to your information. They understand their legal responsibility to maintain confidentiality and follow practice procedures to ensure this.

We take precautions to ensure security of the practice premises, the practice filing systems and computers.

We use high-quality specialist dental software to record and use your personal information safely and effectively. Our computer system has a secure audit trail and we back-up information routinely. We use cloud computing facilities for storing some of your information. The practice has a rigorous agreement with our provider to ensure that we meet the obligations described in this policy and that we keep your information securely.

We keep your records for 10 years after the date of your last visit to the Practice or until you reach the age of 25 years, whichever is the longer.

Access to your information and other rights

You have a right to access the information that we hold about you and to receive a copy. You should submit your request to the practice in writing or by email. We do not usually charge you for copies of your information; if we pass on a charge, we will explain the reasons.

You can also request us to:

  • Correct any information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete
  • Erase information we hold although you should be aware that, for legal reasons, we may be unable to erase certain information (for example, information about your dental treatment)
  • Stop using your information – for example, sending you reminders for appointments or information about our service
  • Supply your information electronically to another dentist

If you do not agree

If you do not wish us to use your personal information as described, you should discuss the matter with your dentist. If you object to the way that we collect and use your information, we may not be able to continue to provide your dental care.

If you have any concerns about how we use your information and you do not feel able to discuss it with your dentist or anyone at the practice, you should contact The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF (0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745).

GDC & CQC Complaint

Statement OF Purpose

We are fully CQC compliant: click here to read a copy of the latest report.

GDC Numbers

Dr Richard Denny – 58184 (Dental Surgeon)
Dr Stephen Denny – 192444 (Dental Surgeon)
Dr Shubham Mittal – 100766 (Dental Surgeon/Implantologist)
Dr Adam Jowett – 228447 (Specialist Orthodontist)
Dr Gary Lunt – 258513 (Dental Surgeon)
Adele McBride – 171185 (Hygiene Therapist)
Alison Mitchell – 158028 (Hygiene Therapist)

Aims and Objectives

We always aim to deliver a very high standard of dental treatment in a caring, safe and calm environment, aiming to provide excellent oral health to all our patients. It is our aim to always provide the highest quality dental treatment in line with current and past research and evidence, choosing minimally invasive approach where possible. The service we provide will increase the awareness of prevention and positive health choices. We keep abreast with current dental techniques through continual education and training so that we may deliver comprehensive treatment choices to our patients. We have specialists in all the major disciplines of dentistry working in our team together to provide the best possible outcome for you as patients.

This practice is registered with and regulated by the Care Quality Commission for the following activities:

1. Diagnostic and screening procedures

  • To arrange and agree appointments and reviews within an appropriate personal time frame with patients.
  • To perform a full detailed examination of patient’s oral health using relevant diagnostic equipment taking into account relevant medical and social history.
  • To establish an individually developed personal dental health plan for each patient to meet their dental care needs and aim for a high level of oral health.

2. Treatment of disease, disorder or injury

  • To provide a high quality and a range of dental services to the whole community including consultations, x-rays, routine restorative work, cosmetic dentistry, sedation, implants, oral surgery, orthodontics, endodontics and treatment of periodontal disease.
  • To inform patients of the results of such diagnostic and screening procedure with a view to discussing treatment options, costs, risks and advice etc.
  • To refer to appropriately qualified specialist dental practitioners where necessary and provide temporary treatment if required.
  • To keep patients well-informed of costs and to discuss treatment progress at each stage, obtaining relevant consent.
  • To create an atmosphere in the practice in which the patients feel relaxed and able to discuss freely their dental health issues.
  • To provide a service based on prevention and to establish a personal treatment plan for each individual patient.

3. Surgical procedures

  • To provide detailed information and explanations to patients where a surgical procedure is necessary outlining the benefits, procedures involved, risks and outcomes etc.
  • To obtain valid consent for all surgical procedures carried out at the practice.
  • To monitor patient progress in accordance with relevant clinical protocols to ensure that recovery is both full and uneventful.

Practice aims

We have core practice aims and values that we publicly promote to patients and these are as follows:

As a practice, we will:

  • Wherever possible, see patients on time and give an apology and an explanation if we run late by more than 10 minutes
  • Operate within a policy and culture of openness and honesty in everything that we do.
  • Use good quality modern materials and approved techniques.
  • Support continuing staff training and development.
  • Spend sufficient time with the patients to meet their clinical needs.
  • Promote a culture of good and open communication with patients so they can help shape our service provision.

Our patients can help us achieve these aims by:

  • To only book appointments which they are able to attend
  • Understanding the need for change to sustain a good quality service.
  • When providing feedback on any aspect of service this is done in a non-confrontational, friendly and courteous manner. We will always accommodate patient’s views and respond quickly and sympathetically.
  • We require each patient to provide to us with an accurate Medical History detailing past and present conditions including medication.

Patient Involvement Rights

  • Honesty Dental Care takes full account of patient comments, their rights and autonomy.
  • At the Practice we conduct regular surveys of patient views on the service care and treatment provided.
  • The Practice information leaflet and website are available to patients to give full details of services provided and invite comments.
  • Honesty Dental Care has an in-house complaints policy for the effective and easy resolution of patient’s complaints and concerns.
  • Patients’ needs and expectations are assessed at the outset and treatment alternatives, benefits and risks are explained fully before treatment is started and informed consent is always secured.

Statement Equality, Diversity and Human Rights

  • Honesty Dental Practice recognises the principles of Equality, Diversity and Human Rights for its patients and for its employees.
  • Discrimination, Harassment and victimisation are defined in our practice policy and all staff are required to conform to this policy and to bring to the attention of the management any issues which might violate the principles contained in our policy.
  • Carole Denny is responsible for considering and taking action if any instances which may breach our policy are brought to her attention.
  • Honesty Dental Care recognises and conforms to the European Convention on Human Rights Act 1998.

BDS CHECKS – Basic Disclosure Checks

  • All staff at Honesty Dental Care hold a current basic disclosure check as required by the Health and Social Care Act.

Registered service provider: Dr Stephen Denny

Registered address for service provision: Honesty Dental Care, 75 Kirkgate, Shipley BD18 3LU
Telephone: 01274 533933
Email: info@honestydentalcare.co.uk
Web: www.honestydentalcare.co.uk