17.1 INTRODUCTION

The auditing of our protocols, procedures, equipment, devices and materials forms part of our risk management and quality assurance systems. As clinicians, we need to demonstrate we have these systems in place (B). To achieve this, it is helpful to identify best practice, ensure that best practice is being followed and highlight shortfalls that need to be addressed in the provision of care.

The Care Quality Commission states that we are expected to conduct audits to demonstrate good governance (regulation 17), deliver care and treatment safely (regulation 12), and ensure premises and equipment are clean and suitably maintained (regulation 15) [1] (B).

Clinical audit, as defined by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership and endorsed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, is ‘a quality improvement process that seeks to improve patient care and outcomes through systematic review of care and the implementation of change’. Clinical audits are central to effective quality assurance.

Clinical audit is a quality improvement process that involves the systematic review of healthcare practices against established standards. The purpose of clinical audit is to identify areas for improvement and to monitor the effectiveness of changes made to improve patient care.

The clinical audit process typically involves the following steps:

1. Defining the audit criteria: This involves identifying the specific standards or guidelines that will be used to evaluate the quality of care.
2. Collecting data: Data is collected through various methods, such as reviewing medical records, conducting surveys and observing patient care.
3. Analysing the data: The collected data is analysed to identify areas for improvement and to evaluate the effectiveness of current practices.
4. Implementing changes: Based on the results of the audit, changes are implemented to improve patient care and to bring practices in line with established standards.
5. Re‐auditing: The process is repeated at regular intervals to ensure that the changes made have resulted in improved patient care and to identify new areas for improvement.

Clinical audit can help to improve patient care by identifying areas where changes need to be made. It can also help healthcare providers to demonstrate their commitment to quality improvement and to meet regulatory and accreditation requirements.

Clinical audit is an important part of risk management and quality assurance systems in dentistry because it helps to identify areas for improvement in protocols, procedures, equipment, devices and materials. By conducting regular clinical audits, dental practices can ensure that they are providing the highest standard of care to their patients and continuously improving their practices. Overall, clinical audit is an essential tool for improving patient care and maintaining high standards of quality in healthcare.

17.2 DECONTAMINATION

We are mandated to incorporate into our dental implant treatment effective risk reduction and continuous improvement in cross‐infection protocols. We have to be able to demonstrate consistent processes and outcomes, and to make sure that all the equipment and instruments are as clean as possible. Furthermore, we need to demonstrate compliance with essential requirements of the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 [2], HTM01 05 [3] and the Care Quality Commission [1] (B).

As a minimum requirement, we need to comply with essential standards of the aforementioned regulation. This involves the need to complete an audit every 3 months, and have a plan in place to demonstrate improvement and our aim to achieve best practice (B).