British Dental Association

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The British Dental Association (BDA) is a professional association, trade union and special register body representing dentists in the United Kingdom with over 18,000 members and 3,500 student members. It is based in the Marylebone district of central London. It is primarily a clinical and social organisation which, due to its size, is also given the task of negotiating for all dentists under s.43b of the NHS Act 1977.

In return for this patronage some dentists feel the organisation lacks the will to lobby the government effectively on dentists' terms and conditions. An alternative organisation for dentists in general practice called the Dental Practitioners' Association (formerly the General Dental Practitioners' Association) claims to provide a more representative voice.

In 2005 the BDA withdrew from talks with the UK Government aimed at reorganising dentistry in the National Health Service, however it later resumed membership of the Government's Contract Implementation Group.

[edit] Regulation of dentists

The BDA is not the regulatory body for dentists in the United Kingdom. Dentists are regulated in England, for example, by the General Dental Council.

[edit] British Dental Association Museum

The British Dental Association has a museum which reopened to the public in 2005. The museum is open Tuesday and Thursday from 1-4pm. Other times by appointment. During holidays please telephone before visiting. Admission Free. The museum is located at BDA Headquarters 64 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8YS Telephone: 020 7935 0875 Fax: 020 7935 6492 Email: museum@bda.org