Providing non-surgical facial aesthetic treatments from a regulated or appropriately accredited clinical setting is fundamental to patient safety, quality of care and professional accountability. Suitable premises help ensure that treatments are delivered in a clean, safe and well-equipped environment, with appropriate infection prevention measures, emergency preparedness, medicines management and patient confidentiality.

For dentists, the standards expected of the premises will depend on where treatments are provided. Where aesthetic treatments are delivered within a CQC-registered dental practice, the premises must comply with the relevant statutory requirements. Where treatments are provided outside a regulated healthcare setting, practitioners should ensure their premises meet recognised professional standards, such as those set by Save Face or the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP). Adhering to these standards demonstrates a commitment to best practice, reduces clinical risk and helps maintain public confidence in the safe delivery of aesthetic treatments.

It is important to distinguish between statutory regulation (which is mandatory) and voluntary accreditation (which demonstrates best practice where statutory regulation does not apply). That distinction is often misunderstood.

Whilst CQC is mandatory for dental practices, JCCP and Save Face are complementary rather than alternatives. Both Save Face and the JCCP are Professional Standards Authority (PSA)-accredited registers. Save Face membership includes an independent inspection of both the practitioner and the clinic, while the JCCP sets professional premises standards which registrants must attest to. Many experienced aesthetic dentists choose to hold both accreditations, particularly where they practise outside a CQC-regulated dental setting.