What does CQC check in a dental practice’s HR files? Inspectors work from Regulation 19 (fit and proper persons employed) and Schedule 3 of the 2014 Regulations, which set out the information you must hold for every member of staff. Gaps become findings, and findings become follow-up. The good news is that the list is knowable, so a practice can be genuinely inspection-ready rather than hoping for the best.
The documents inspectors expect in every file
- Proof of identity, with a photograph.
- A right-to-work check, correctly recorded. The civil penalty for employing someone without the right to work is up to £60,000 per worker, so this one earns its place twice over.
- A DBS check at the right level. Clinical staff treating patients need an enhanced check. Reception and admin roles usually need a standard check. The level matters, not just the existence of a certificate.
- A full employment history, with any gaps explained and the explanation recorded.
- Evidence of conduct in previous employment, usually references, and specifically from previous health or care roles where they exist.
- Qualifications relevant to the role, with certificates on file, and current GDC registration for every registrant, checked at recruitment and monitored at every renewal.
- Health information relevant to the role, including Hepatitis B immunisation status for clinical staff.
Beyond the recruitment file
Regulation 18 (staffing) takes inspectors into ongoing records: training logs covering safeguarding, infection prevention and control, medical emergencies and CPR, and radiography where relevant, plus evidence of appraisals actually happening. Inspectors also expect a recruitment policy that matches what your files show you actually did, and current indemnity for every clinician.
How to get inspection-ready
Audit every file against the list above, one checklist per file, and fix what is missing before an inspector finds it. Chase the reference that never arrived, explain the CV gap while the employee can still remember it, and diarise every GDC renewal. Then keep the evidence organised so it can be produced on the day without a scramble, because an organised file communicates a well-run practice before a single document is read.
We have packaged this into a printable checklist covering the 20 documents and records every practice should be able to produce: get the Dental Practice HR Compliance Checklist here. And if you would rather we did the audit, that is exactly what our CQC-ready HR files service is for.
Want a hand with this?
Book a free 15-minute call and we will tell you what applies to your situation and what to do first. Ad-hoc advice is £125/hr + VAT, billed in 15-minute increments.
General guidance for UK employers, correct at 22nd July 2026. Not advice on a specific situation. More guides for your sector: HR for dental practices. Not sure where your gaps are? Check your HR Risk Score in 3 minutes.
