Debbie Hemmington looks back over the 60-year history of the BADT.
As a leading representative of dental therapists in the UK, the British Association of Dental Therapists (BADT) has become synonymous with excellence. Today, the association is a mouthpiece for change, campaigning for numerous advancements within the industry and supporting its members to ensure that they are receiving the encouragement they need to truly take flight in their careers.
But how did the BADT begin? It was back in 1962 that the association came to fruition, formed by the first graduates of the School of Dental Auxiliaries in New Cross, London. This school had formed only two years previously and was the first institute of its type in the northern hemisphere.
Since this time, the association has only gone from strength to strength and the BADT is now the longest running dental therapy association in the whole of Europe.
Ushering in a new era of dental hygiene and therapy
Throughout the last 60 years, the BADT has been instrumental in driving forward real change within the profession and has remained central to all of the biggest decisions that have helped shape dental therapy into the vital role that it is today.
One of the first issues that the BADT campaigned for was for professional indemnity in 1964, soon followed by the acceptance of dental therapists as members of the Medical Protection Society. Following this success, 1997 saw the introduction of ‘extended duties’, allowing dental therapists to perform pulpotomies, place preformed metal crowns, take impressions and perform ID blocks. Soon after in the early 2000s, the association helped introduce dental therapists to working in general dental practices.
Another win for the association was the change that allowed dental therapists to provide treatment without a dentist on site. Direct access for both dental hygienists and dental therapists has been another considerable step forward, and the BADT played a part in making this a reality in 2013 and were the only organisation to fight for therapists to be included. Recently, the BADT has negotiated an indemnity discount for members with Dental Protection – landmark news as the BADT is the first professional association that Dental Protection have partnered with.
As you can see, the association has continued to strive for change and to ensure that dental therapists and dental hygienists alike gain the power to broaden their scope of practice, provide more versatile care and remain a visible, essential part of the dental team.
An eye on the future
That’s not to say that the work of the association is done yet. During the last couple of years, the BADT has gone above and beyond to support members during the pandemic. It fought for its members to receive NHS payments during lockdown and successfully helped many members access payments that had been withheld from them. It formed a close relationship with the British Dental Association (BDA) to assist in this and produced a joint statement. It also consulted regularly with Jason Wong during this time and wish to acknowledge his help and support.
The BADT is passionate about utilising dental therapists to their full capacity within general dental practice and have a project underway at the moment to highlight how this can be done. The association is working with the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) to campaign for exemptions for professionals in these roles so that therapists and hygienists can prescribe, as well as administer local anaesthetic and certain other medicaments such as topical fluoride. The BADT is also currently lobbying for the GDC to revise its registration criteria for overseas trained personnel to ensure they are assessed on their practical skills in order to register. Another concern that the BADT is actively working on is to reform complaints handling within the GDC and ‘Moving Upstream’ consultations.
On a more general note, the association continually strives for better visibility among the patient population, and improved access for those who need the services of a dental hygienist or dental therapist. From driving for contract reform that would allow better patient access to NHS care through wider implementation of dental therapists, to meeting with MPs and ministers to raise awareness of what dental therapists do and how their skills can be implemented, the BADT is constantly working towards a better, brighter future for the profession.
The BADT offers members a host of exceptional benefits, including discount on indemnity fees with Dental Protection, a hotline for advice, legal support via the association’s own legal partner, HR and employment support, members only educational resources and webinars, discounted rates on study events and CPD courses and much, much more!
Ultimately, joining the BADT is becoming part of a community that puts the welfare of its members, and by proxy, the general public, first. It’s a dynamic association formed by professionals for professionals, and every member is valued equally. Sixty years of excellence have proven that the association is an integral part of the profession, so if you’re a dental hygienist or dental therapist and want to have your voice heard, sign up today!