The British Dental Association is an association comprising of dentists and dental students in the UK aimed at supporting members through advice and education, and representing their interests. It was founded in 1894, and is now the largest dental organization in Europe.
As an entity, it is owned and run by the members as a not-for-profit organisation. The BDA supports members through a range of services, including advice on clinical and professional issues, continuing professional development (CPD), and updates on new products and treatments. They also offer a dental journal and website packed with information, as well as a number of events throughout the year.
The BDA represents dentists’ interests to policy-makers, media, patients and the public. This includes campaigning on behalf of members on issues such as oral health promotion, NHS reform, and access to dental care. The BDA has also played a leading role in setting international standards for dental care.
The BDA represents the interests of more than 153,000 dentists in the UK, making it the country’s leading dental association. It provides members with access to a wealth of resources, including clinical guidelines, patient information leaflets and posters. The BDA also offers a range of events and courses, as well as legal and financial advice.
The BDA England office is the head office of this prestigious organisation.
The BDA Northern Ireland office is located in Belfast and represents dentists in Northern Ireland on issues such as oral health promotion, NHS reform, and access to dental care. It also provides members with access to a wealth of resources, including clinical guidelines, patient information leaflets and posters. The BDA Northern Ireland office offers a range of events and courses, as well as legal and financial advice.
Located in Castle Business Park, Stirling, the BDA Scotland represents dentists in Scotland. Like the other BDA branches, it covers the areas of oral health promotion, NHS reform, and access to dental care. It also provides members with access to a wealth of resources, including clinical guidelines, patient information leaflets and posters. The BDA Scotland offers a range of events and courses, as well as legal and financial advice.
The BDA Wales office represents dentists in Wales on issues such as oral health promotion, NHS reform, and access to dental care. It also provides members with access to a wealth of resources, including clinical guidelines, patient information leaflets and posters. The BDA Wales office offers a range of events and courses, as well as legal and financial advice.
Dentistry was developing at an amazing pace in the 1870s. In 1879, after much campaigning by leading dentists including Sir John Tomes and Edwin Saunders (one of Queen Victoria’s doctors), England’s first legislation on dental care was passed through Parliament – establishing The Dental Reform Committee for its success! This group succeeded brilliantly until they could finally establish basic rules that all should follow or face punishment if breaking any laws made within this new act. A short while later, in 1880, the British Dental Association (BDA) was set up to represent the dentists working within this new system.
The BDA has played a leading role in setting international standards for dental care, and promoting education and training within the profession. It also lobbies government on behalf of dentists and patients, ensuring that everyone can access quality dental care when they need it.
Today, there are over 22,000 members of the BDA – from all corners of the world and from all areas of dentistry. The organisation remains committed to its founding principles, and is constantly looking for new ways to improve oral healthcare for everyone.
The BDA has played a leading role in setting international standards for dental care, and promoting education and training within the profession. It also lobbies government on behalf of dentists and patients, ensuring that everyone can access quality dental care when they need it.
The BDA maintains a library at Wimpole Street London that boasts to be the most comprehensive dental library in Europe.
The BDA offers a comprehensive range of services to dental professionals and patients in the UK. These include:
There are many benefits to being a member of the BDA. As well as enjoying the peace of mind that comes with having protection from our indemnity cover, you will also benefit from:
The BDA offers an indemnity over with unique characteristics. One of such is the fact that insurance policies issued by the British Dental Association are occurrence-based not claims-made. This means that the BDA insurance policy will respond to any dental malpractice claim made, regardless of when the incident occurred – as long as the policy is still in force and you are a member of the BDA at the time of the claim.
Secondly, policies are also contractual rather than discretionary, meaning that the insurance company is obliged to provide a defence to any claim made against you, as long as it is covered by the policy.
The other key benefit of being a BDA member is that you automatically have access to our £10m Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) policy. This provides cover for any claims made against you for alleged negligent treatment or advice given to patients. The PII policy also includes cover for public liability and products liability, meaning that you are protected should something go wrong with any dental products or equipment you use.
Plus, with the BDA Dental Protection plan, you have access to a 24-hour helpline staffed by dental professionals, meaning you can get the help and support you need when you need it most.
The British Dental Journal (BDJ) is the leading dental publication in the UK, and provides dentists with up-to-date news and information on all aspects of dentistry. The BDJ also features clinical articles, case studies and reviews from some of the world’s leading experts.
BDA members have free access to the BDJ online archive, which contains over 20 years’ worth of back issues, available to be downloaded as a PDF.
The BDJ portfolio includes the following publications:
The British Dental Association emphasizes that regulated dental professionals are the only ones who should perform teeth whitening and defaulters are liable to prosecution by the General Dental Council and criminal courts. Dental professionals such as hygienists and therapists are only able to perform teeth whitening procedures when they have the requisite training and are under the supervision and direction of a dentist.
The House of Lords judgement in June 2001 confirmed that teeth whitening products were covered by the EU Cosmetics Directive and not Medical Devices. This is because they emit light, which can be seen as decorative or functional according to some people’s needs for their smile enhancement reasons only; however there aren’t any health benefits from using these items other than making your pearly whites whiter!
The British Dental Association lobbied hard against restrictions on dentist-based procedures coming into force after years spent trying – successfully at last through mutual agreement between all parties involved –to remove legal disabilities regarding what dentists may do when offering treatments such as tooth whitening. The new regulations that have come into effect now permit dentists to use lasers and light emitting devices (LEDs) when providing tooth whitening services to their patients, in addition to the current bleaching options that are available.
The BDA has welcomed this change, as it provides greater clarity for both dental professionals and patients alike. It also allows dentists to use the latest technologies in their treatments, which can provide better results for patients.
The BDA has long campaigned for changes to the law in this area, and it is great to see that these have finally been made. This will benefit both dentists and patients, and should help to ensure that everyone can get the best possible dental care.
The Teeth Team is a school-based supervised tooth brushing program that incorporates clinical dental assessments, applications of fluoride varnish and the subsequent signposting for accessing primary or secondary care. It’s an effort by local practices along with government officials to improve child wellness across all areas in our country through better oral hygiene techniques which can also lead them down paths towards becoming more successful adults.
In line with current UK regulations, the British Dental Association has alerted the public on the caution required in purchasing teeth whitening products online or from unregulated sources. The BDA is also urging people to be careful with over-the-counter whitening products, as these can often lead to excessive bleaching and increased tooth sensitivity.
The organisation has specifically drawn attention to the growing trend of at-home teeth whitening, which it says can be dangerous when not performed under professional supervision. In cases of serious tooth sensitivity or damage, people may find they need expensive and time-consuming dental treatment to correct the problems caused by home whitening kits.
When it comes to choosing a teeth whitening treatment, there are two main options: professional treatments offered by dentists, or at-home treatments that can be bought over the counter. Professional treatments are generally more expensive than at-home treatments, but they are also more likely to be effective and less likely to cause damage to the teeth.
“At-home teeth whitening kits can be a convenient option, but it is important to remember that they can also be dangerous if not used correctly,” said Dr Nigel Carter. “Many people do not realise that professional treatments are available which are both safe and effective.”
The British Dental Association regularly holds seminars, symposiums, and other events to help dentists network with each other and learn more about the latest in dental technology, products, and treatments. Past events have included a “Dentistry from A to Z” seminar, a three-day symposium on implant dentistry, and a one-day course on invisible braces.
In recent years, online events have become increasingly popular among BDA members. These events allow dentists to learn about new products and treatments from the comfort of their own offices, and many of them are even offered CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits.
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