The past year has been one of reflection and renewed purpose for our Charity. As pressures on the profession continue to evolve, we experienced a record level of demand for assistance..
Stories of Hope and Support
We heard from applicants in their own words and shared seven new powerful and personal stories of resilience, illustrating the varied challenges faced within the dental community.
These personal accounts ranged from overcoming addiction, coping with bereavement, health crises, and navigating significant life disruption, to the journeys of refugee dentists working to re-establish their careers in the UK.
Collectively, these stories deepen understanding of the realities many face, while underscoring the rising need for our support.
Personal and Practical Guidance
As part of Baby Loss Awareness Week, Dr Jessica Burley shared her deeply personal experience of stillbirth, offering thoughtful guidance for colleagues and highlighting the importance of compassionate, well-informed workplace support during periods of profound grief.
Financial Wellbeing and Planning
Alongside direct financial assistance, we continue to prioritise prevention and early intervention by sharing practical guidance.
We encourage strengthening healthy financial habits, from budgeting and insurance reviews to household energy-saving tips.
In addition the free Will-writing service promoted during Free Wills Month offered professionals a valuable opportunity to plan for the future and consider how legacy gifts can help sustain our vital work.
Calls for Community Action
Facing a 30% drop in voluntary income alongside rising grant applications, we issued a final plea to Local Dental Committees (LDCs) for support.
LDC donations remain the backbone of funding and we are deeply grateful for those who contribute. Yet nearly 60% of LDCs had not donated at the time of our appeal.
Trustee Dr Peter Crooks attended the LDC Conference in Gateshead to raise awareness, and donations from this year’s event were the highest ever demonstrating that once people hear and understand our work, they are incredibly supportive and generous.
At our AGM, Trustees also launched a national call for volunteer Ambassadors. This new role aims to strengthen awareness, visibility, and early signposting, helping colleagues recognise when peers may be struggling, while ensuring no dentist has to navigate hardship alone.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Our service data revealed a significant gender disparity: men were considerably less likely to contact the helpline, despite experiencing similar pressures.
While many calls related to legal or financial issues, we cannot emphasise enough the need to address mental health more openly within the profession.
Throughout the year we continued to promote the wellbeing portal and counselling services offering confidential, accessible support for all dentists, students and their families.
Dentistry Events
This year we were out and about a lot! We attended the BDIA showcase in London in March and also the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show in Birmingham in May.
These events led to engaging conversations and more than doubled our email newsletter sign-ups — helping us reach even more dentists with our support.
If you’re not on our email list, you can sign up here.
Honouring Lives and Legacies
The dental community mourned the untimely death of Dr John Ulahannan in November 2024. A dedicated dentist and Trustee, he made a significant contribution to the profession and to the charity’s governance. Plans are underway to for an art exhibition in 2026 celebrating his life and service.
We also shared the tributes to Dr Keith Percival, who retired after decades as Secretary of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight LDC. His advocacy left a lasting impact, and colleagues have raised funds in his honour to continue his legacy of care.
Celebrating Milestones and Looking Ahead
Chief Executive, Laura Hannon marked 10 years of leadership, during which she helped expand services, navigate the challenges of COVID-19, and processover 1,000 financial aid applications.
Together with Finance Administrator, Faye Serlin, she also cleared out the Wimpole Street offices securing new storage for the Charity’s archives.
How Can You Help?
This roundup reflects a year of challenges met with compassion, innovation, and collective effort. Every donation, conversation, and act of advocacy helps build a stronger, more supportive dental community.
Please consider donating, sponsoring or becoming an Ambassador, to help us reach more people in 2026 and beyond.
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