CQC for Dental Practices: A Straight-Talking Guide From Someone Who’s Been There

A cup of tea, a clipboard, and a lesson in humility I still remember the first time a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector walked through my surgery door. I’d spent the week polishing every surface in sight, bribing the autoclave with gentle words, and forcing the team to rehearse our infection-control drills like a West End cast before opening night. The inspector greeted us with a smile, accepted a slightly too-strong brew, and then asked a question that stopped me in my tracks: “Show me how you know your patients feel genuinely listened to.” In that moment, I realised CQC compliance isn’t about spotless floors or colour-coded files. It’s about proving, with evidence, that we give safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led treatment every single day. Those five words form the backbone of today’s CQC Single Assessment Framework, which replaced the old Key Lines of Enquiry in May 2024. Why the CQC sits in every waiting room The CQC regulates all health and social-c...