A bright future ahead for the BADT
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 7th December 2022
Debbie Hemington (President) and Fiona Sandom (Chair) of the British Association of Dental Therapists (BADT) discuss their experience of being part of the association, recent accomplishments and their visions for the future…
Since 1962, the BADT has been an excellent resource and community for dental therapists, with the years also seeing dental hygienists and students of the profession welcomed to the organisation.
Debbie explains how she first joined:
“I joined BADT not long after graduating in 1983. It was the only Association representing dental therapists and we were small in numbers and in a unique position. The fact it was run by working therapists mattered to me a lot because I knew that they would understand my role and my needs. I am proud to say that still stands today, we are a voluntary council and all working dental therapists, although we are now in a variety of settings which is a tribute to all the work BADT has done in moving the profession forward.”
Fiona shares her experience:
“I joined when I was a student dental therapist in 1997 and have been a member ever since. At that time, dental therapists were only able to work in the Community Dental Service, Hospital Dental Service, and the Prison Dental Service.
“I was already a dental hygienist working in general dental practice and really felt that this was unfair and wanted to be part of the Association that was trying to get this overturned. The BADT was instrumental in getting that to the attention of policymakers, and in 2002 that restriction was lifted!”
Before passing the role to Fiona, Debbie used her time as Chair to support members throughout the pandemic and ensure some excellent member benefits:
“During my time as Chair we achieved some great things which I was actively involved in, such as the partnership with Dental Protection. We also provided outstanding support to members during lockdown, including a joint statement with the BDA to ensure dental therapists and hygienists were included in the NHS ongoing payments to NHS practices.”
Now, both Debbie and Fiona are looking toward the future of the BADT, with high hopes that they can continue to not only help drive the industry forward and be actively involved in interesting developments such as the current NHS contract reform, but also continue to support all members of the association with great opportunities.
Fiona comments:
“It is an exciting time for BADT – the current contract reform that is happening in England and Wales plans to use dental therapists to help with delivering NHS dentistry. The BADT aims to be at the forefront for dental therapists in ensuring that our members are fairly represented at all levels of the NHS contract negotiations.
“Raising the profile of dental therapists is important to the BADT, and we rely on members for that, so in turn, we will continue to develop benefits and representation for our members in this post-pandemic landscape and time of contract reform as well as offer advice, education, and networking opportunities.”
Debbie adds:
“The current contract reforms could mean a greater utilisation of dental therapists. This means many professionals will be able to use their full skill set for the first time, which will obviously lead to some training needs. As such, we are planning several courses, both practical and theory-based to support our members in this. It is vitally important that we are included in all negotiations from the outset; no one understands dental therapists like we do and we will champion them and their skills and make sure they are treated fairly.
“Plus, we have formed excellent professional relationships with the GDC, OCDO, the BDA and other professional associations as well as Health Education England, so we have supportive partnerships in place going forward.”
With contract reform set to change the working lives for hundreds of dental therapists across the country, being involved in the conversation is an excellent reason to join the BADT. The Association also gives individuals the chance to connect with likeminded individuals who really understand what it’s like to work in the profession, as well as the support, resources and opportunities that members need to truly excel in their careers.
Debbie concludes:
“The BADT has represented dental therapists since their very inception in the 60s, and we have an unrivalled history of support and progress for the profession. We have a council working at the coal face, so they can relate to all scenarios that members may encounter. We can only carry on this work with the support of the membership, so if you want your voice heard, you should join!”
To find out more about the BADT please get in touch today.
For more details, please visit www.badt.org.uk
