The environment was prison-like. There was an unnecessary amount of razor wire in many areas and many detainees were accommodated in prison cells. Many communal areas in residential units were grubby but association areas were reasonably well equipped. Some cells and dormitories were dirty, toilets were filthy and th ere was graffiti on the walls…

A recurring theme of our inspection was that Dover looked and felt like a prison and was too often run like one, even though it held low-risk detainees who were not serving sentences for criminal offences. Some aspects of physical security were excessive, and Dover is probably the last custodial facility in Britain that is still surrounded by a moat. Procedural security sometimes lacked proportionality. The reward scheme was inappropriate and worse, its application punitive…

And on the dentisty:

Kent Community Health NHS Trust provided two dental clinics weekly. Primary care nurses were trained in dental triage and waiting times were good. However, the dental contract stipulated that only detainees who had been at the centre for more than a year could receive the full range of NHS-equivalent dental treatment. Consequently, most detainees received only emergency dental treatment, and many we re seen repeatedly because the underlying cause was not being treated.

The large dental surgery met best-practice guidelines and included resuscitation equipment. The dental consultations we observed were good and all dental records were included in the core record. Detainees were given verbal advice on oral health, but there was no written information available in any language. All instruments were sterilised off site. Dental waste received professional disposal and all equipment was appropriately maintained.

“Tools are locked up in case they stolen as weapons and patients can’t floss for fear they weave it into rope”