Health & Safety at Thousand Smiles

At Thousand Smiles, your health, safety, and comfort are our highest priorities. We follow strict UK dental regulations and best-practice standards so that every visit is safe, compliant, and stress-free.

Our Standards

CQC & GDC compliance – We meet Care Quality Commission requirements and follow the General Dental Council Standards for the Dental Team.
Infection control – All cleaning, disinfection, and decontamination procedures follow HTM 01-05 guidance.
Radiography safety – Dental X-rays are carried out only when clinically justified, with doses kept as low as possible under IR(ME)R and IRR rules.
Regular audits – We review our safety systems, equipment, and staff training to make sure everything stays up to date.

Infection Prevention & Control

Hand hygiene: Alcohol rub and hand-washing stations are available for staff and patients.
Protective equipment: Our team uses gloves, masks, and eye protection, which are changed between patients.
Clean environment: All treatment areas are cleaned and disinfected between appointments.
Aseptic technique: We use single-use items where possible and strict protocols for sterile instruments.

Decontamination

Instruments are cleaned, inspected, packaged, sterilised, and tracked through a strict “dirty to clean” flow.
Sterilisation cycles are recorded, validated, and stored for audit.
Single-use items are disposed of safely and never reused.

X-ray Safety

Every X-ray is justified by a dentist and explained to you in advance.
Radiation doses are kept minimal and equipment is regularly tested.
Patients who are or may be pregnant are given special consideration.

Medical Emergencies

All staff are trained in immediate life support and emergency procedures.
We keep emergency drugs, oxygen, and an automated external defibrillator (AED) on site.
Common emergencies we’re prepared for include fainting, asthma attacks, allergic reactions, and cardiac arrest.

Waste Management

Clinical and general waste are separated, labelled, and disposed of safely.
Sharps, amalgam, and confidential waste are placed in dedicated containers for specialist collection.

Safeguarding

We are committed to protecting children, young people, and adults at risk. Our staff receive safeguarding training and know how to act on any concerns.