A new chapter for the BACD

Featured Products Promotional Features

Posted by: Dental Design 3rd December 2024

It is a time of celebration for the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD), with November’s Annual Conference marking its 20^thbirthday and the passing of the presidential baton to Dr Sam Jethwa.

A globally recognised innovator in cosmetic dentistry, Sam needs little introduction as the new head of the BACD. Reflecting on his long involvement with the academy, Sam identifies the importance of his membership:

“The BACD has been instrumental for providing me with world-class education, especially in my early days, on techniques that I otherwise would have struggled to find. The BACD brings the education to you, be that at conferences or regional events, and at appealing prices that are hard to believe. Equal to the education is the network I have been able to build – the BACD gave me access to the contacts, role models and culture I needed to create a vision of my own career in ethical, cosmetic dentistry. Without this, I would have found it difficult to navigate my professional journey and would not have had the same opportunities. To put it simply: without the BACD I would not be the dentist I am today nor would I have the non-clinical life I have today.”

The role of President carries with it a huge responsibility, but Sam is more than prepared to take on the position:

“I see my role as one that will continue and build upon the great work of my predecessors. The Presidents of the past – and myself – have never taken the title for granted. It is a position that takes years of training. I have chaired a variety of committees over the years, from those relating to membership, the website and communications, giving me an in-depth understanding of what the BACD needs. Armed with this experience and with the help of our board and committee members, I intend to ensure that the BACD continues to stand at the forefront of cosmetic dentistry. We will build on its reputation as a welcoming, inclusive and inspirational academy for all.”

Sam is aware of the challenges that the presidency can bring, but he has much to look forward to:

“I am very keen to work even more closely with our board and committees. They are incredible clinicians and master operators who are also great friends. Every clinician behind the scenes at the academy, be they board or committee, gives up their time voluntarily, and it is hard to appreciate just how much daily activity is required to maintain the BACD. I have always been interested in streamlining these daily processes to increase efficiency, maximising what the academy can give back to its members. This is a challenge I am excited to throw myself into, along with future-proofing the academy and pre-empting profession-wide changes that may be coming.”

With a new President comes change, but as Sam has already mentioned, he will be building on what came before. He provides an update on what members can expect in the future:

“At the BACD, providing value to our members is a key focus. Value is mostly represented through both the excellent educational opportunities and the supportive network that members can access. These are a priority to enhance, but we also try our best to hear what our members want so that we can do everything we can to provide as many members as possible with value. For instance, the BACD website was recently entirely overhauled with an app-based design, making it incredibly easy for colleagues to book events, track CPD and membership points, upgrade and maintain membership status, and digitally register for the events themselves. We are also looking to increase attention on content production so that we can grow the membership across all demographics, be they clinicians in early or later stages in their careers.”

Along with Sam’s inauguration, the BACD 20^th Annual Conference was a calendar high-point for cosmetic dentists. Featuring numerous workshops, including Sam’s own session on facially-driven smile design with Dr Sheila Li, and a wealth of networking opportunities, attendees accessed the same unmissable opportunities that helped catapult Sam into the frontline of cosmetic dentistry.