Key CQC Changes Dental Practices Must Know in 2026 — and How to Stay Ahead
Dental practices in the UK must keep up with evolving CQC expectations, not just to “tick boxes”, but to safeguard patient care, protect their business, and reduce stress during inspections. Over the last two years, the CQC (Care Quality Commission) has introduced significant regulatory shifts and inspection focus areas that dental teams must understand and embed into their daily operations.
Here are a few of the changes that have taken effect recently:
1. New Single Assessment Framework (Replaces KLOEs)
One of the biggest updates affecting dental practices is the transition away from the old Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs) toward a new single assessment framework. Since May 2024, practices have been inspected under this updated structure, which now uses 34 Quality Statements to assess compliance across all areas of care and practice operations.
Under the new framework, practices must demonstrate evidence of compliance with each Quality Statement — not just point to a policy document. This shift places more emphasis on actual evidence of safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led care.
What this means in practice: It’s no longer enough to have a policy sitting in a folder. Practices must show implementation, monitoring, and improvement.
2. More Continuous Monitoring and Inspection Activity
In 2025 the CQC moved to expand its regulatory reach and inspection activity, completing significantly more assessments than the previous year as part of efforts to strengthen quality and oversight. They have committed to reducing backlogs and publishing assessments faster than in 2024, and they are gearing up for further evolution of their regulatory approach into 2026.
Practices can expect:
- More frequent inspection activity
- Continued focus on evidence being available at all times
- A reliance on patient and staff feedback as part of the assessment process
This signals that CQC is moving toward continuous quality assurance, rather than episodic “big inspection events”.
3. Regulatory Continuity and Expanded Reporting Expectations
Regulatory changes through 2024 and into the 2025/26 financial year have ensured that the fundamental standards will continue without lapse, removing expiry clauses from regulations and introducing periodic reviews. This means practices must be ready to demonstrate compliance continuously, not just during a scheduled inspection window.
While some sectors are moving toward data-driven and digital assessment tools, dentistry currently remains exempt from formal ratings — practices are assessed in binary terms (“regulations met” vs “not all regulations met”) — but evidence requirements remain high, and the expectation for ongoing quality demonstration is growing.
Why Increased Inspections and Evolving Regulations Matter
These shifts reflect a broader regulatory intention: ensuring care quality doesn’t just exist on paper but is embedded in everyday practice. For dental teams, this means:
- Documentation must match real-world practice
- Patient and staff feedback must be gathered, analysed, and acted upon
- Compliance is assessed holistically — not as a set of isolated policies
The CQC is also continuing to prioritise practices that haven’t been inspected for a long time, or those that have never been inspected since registration.
All of this translates into greater inspector scrutiny and a broader interpretation of quality, which can feel overwhelming without structured preparation.
The Value of Having a CQC-Knowledgeable Team Member
Whether it’s a Dental Nurse, Practice Manager, Treatment Coordinator, Dental Receptionist, or another responsible team member, embedding CQC knowledge within your team is essential. This provides:
- day-to-day compliance oversight
- continuity of evidence gathering
- consistency in policy implementation
- confidence during informal enquiries and inspections
However, internal knowledge alone isn’t always enough. Regulation continues evolving — and without expert guidance, teams can misinterpret requirements or overlook gaps that could lead to non-compliance or significant rework under inspection pressure.
Why Expert Support Makes the Difference
Nothing beats having a compliance consultant walk your nominated person through your current CQC status, help you identify gaps, and optimise your systems before an inspection arrives.
That’s why the CQC Compliance Mastery for Dental Practices program is such a powerful asset for practices that want certainty, consistency, and continuous improvement.
Our CQC Compliance Mastery for Dental Practices Program
Ensuring your dental practice meets and exceeds Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards is essential for delivering safe, effective, high-quality patient care — and reducing internal pressure.
The CQC Compliance Mastery Program equips dental teams with the knowledge, systems, and confidence to navigate CQC requirements with ease — transforming compliance from a stress point into a structured strategic strength.
Developed with experienced compliance consultants and informed by real CQC inspection insights, the program gives you a clear understanding of:
- what inspectors expect
- how to embed compliance throughout your team
- how to assess and manage risk proactively
- how to gather and use patient and staff feedback
- how to prepare confidently for inspections
- how to implement effective compliance procedures and documentation
Implemented correctly, CQC compliance becomes more than a regulatory obligation — it becomes a competitive advantage that enhances patient trust, strengthens team performance, and protects the long-term success of your practice.
Program Highlights
✔ Comprehensive, step-by-step curriculum
You’ll explore:
- how to organise, monitor and evidence compliance
- how to prepare confidently for inspections
- how to embed a culture of continuous improvement
- how to manage documentation
- how to align team responsibilities for safe, effective care
⭐ Key Feature: 1-to-1 CQC Consultation & Custom Compliance Action Plan
Included in the program is a personalised consultation with an experienced CQC compliance expert. During this session, your consultant will:
- review your current compliance position
- clarify inspection expectations
- identify gaps or risks in your systems
- provide a tailored action plan with practical steps to strengthen compliance and team accountability
Practices normally pay significant consultancy fees for this level of insight — but it’s included as part of the program, delivering exceptional value and decisive operational advantage.
CQC Regulation is Evolving
CQC regulation is evolving — new frameworks, more assessments, and ongoing expectations around evidence and quality are now part of the regulatory landscape for dental practices. The best way to stay ahead isn’t guesswork — it’s knowledge, preparation, and expert guidance.
With a trained team member and the support of a tailored compliance program, your practice can approach CQC requirements not as a burden, but as a foundation for stronger care, stronger teams, and stronger performance — year after year.