Skip to content

We have a brand new look

You may have noticed that we look a little different. The BDA Benevolent Fund was set up in 1883 and you can browse a fascinating timeline of the changes that have happened over the past 139 years on the Our History page of this new website. You will see that the last time a new logo was developed was 18 years ago and there have been some fundamental governance changes since then.

Ros Keeton, Chairman of the BDA Benevolent Fund explains why we felt the need for a change:

“Our new look clearly defines who the charity is for. We had feedback from our Advisory Council about our old website and logo and specifically about the word ‘benevolence’. We wanted to bring the appearance of the Charity into the 21st century and appeal to the whole dental community.”

The website has been redeveloped to help dental students, dentists and their families, access financial and wellbeing support quickly and easily.

“We started partnering with Health Assured in January 2020 to offer a free wellbeing provision.” said Laura Hannon, General Manager. “The link between money and mental health is well documented and there can be a reluctance from the dental profession to talk about wellbeing and be open about any challenges they face. The health and wellbeing portal, my healthy advantage app, and helpline and counselling services, give our applicants extra support and more preventative tools to look after themselves earlier on building their skills and resilience for the future.

The core of our work remains, which is to offer dental students, dentists and their families financial assistance online if they are experiencing difficulties with managing their essential expenditures such as food, bills, and housing costs.

“We would like to raise awareness of everything on offer to the entire dental profession.” said Ros Keeton, “and we hope the clarity and modernity of the logo catches attention and helps people connect with us and share our work, so more people can be supported.”

Help us to reach the wider dental community by connecting on our social channels and sharing our messaging: Facebook, LinkedIN, Twitter, Instagram.

Feel free to contact us and let us know about your website experience and what you think of our new look.

browse Other Posts

Rima Sadhia Hussain: What Ramadan means to me

Ramadan for me is an opportunity to develop positive Islamic practices, with a view to continuing them for the rest of the year. It is an intense month of prayer, ritual, and reflection. It’s a time to think about others, quiet the mind and improve your mindset.
Read More

Sarra Jawad: What Ramadan means to me

I think the key is that Leaders and Managers have a good relationship with their staff and are skilled at having open conversations about whatever support they might need.
Read More

Shafaq Hussain: What Ramadan means to me

Shafaq shares her experiences of being supported in her workplace when observing the Holy month of Ramadan.
Read More

Dr Austin Banner

Vice-Chairman

  • Trustee since 2010
  • Dental speciality – Retired consultant Orthodontist
  • County – Southern Counties
  • I am a Past President of the BDA Southern Counties Branch with extensive experience in committee, management, teaching, and training.

Dr Peter Crooks

Trustee

  • Trustee since 2020
  • Dental Speciality – General Dental Practitioner
  • County – Antrim, Northern Ireland
  • I am the representative of the Principal Executive Committee of the BDA on the BDA Benevolent Fund Board. I hope to continue and foster the close working relationship between the Charity and the BDA, of whose members are also members of the charity. I’m also a Director and Secretary of a charitable company – CHEERS Youth Centre

Dr Molly Deykin

Trustee

  • Trustee since 2020
  • Dental speciality – General Dental Practitioner
  • County – London
  • I have been involved in student support groups and I was elected British Dental Student Association President. I worked with the Sands Cox Charity when I was the Dental School Society Vice-President. After graduating I was the Foundation Dentist Representative on the BDA Young Dentists Committee.

Dr Allan Franklin

Trustee

  • Trustee since 2003
  • Dental speciality – General Dental Practitioner for 35 years
  • County – Oldham/ Rochdale
  • I am the Chairman of BDA Oldham & Rochdale Section (and previous Secretary). Chairman for the E.Lancs & E Cheshire Branch of BDA in charge of section regeneration. Previous Chairman of British Society for Dental Hypnosis (as it was then) and involved in Local Dental Committees.

Dr Alex Gormley

Trustee

  • Trustee since 2020
  • Dental Speciality – Academic Clinical Fellow at the University of Bristol
  • County – Bristol
  • I have worked in primary dental care and a maxillofacial unit since graduation. I am continuing my dental core training alongside academic training at the University of Bristol. I also serve as the Early Career Representative as an invited board member at the FDS at the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Dr Chris Hayward

Treasurer

  • Trustee since 2013
  • Dental speciality – Associate Specialist in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Lead Clinician Dental Emergency Department Newcastle Dental Hospital, Honorary  Clinical Lecturer Newcastle Dental School
  • County – Newcastle/ Northern Counties
  • I have been active in the BDA at Section, Branch, and National Levels. I was a member of the Rep Board/Body; a former member of the BDA PEC; a Director of International Affairs; and the previous BDA Board.

Dr Philip Henderson

Trustee

  • Trustee since 2006
  • Dental Speciality-Principal Practice Owner and in General Dental Service for 37 years.
  • County – Antrim, Northern Ireland
  • I have been a Church Elder for 34 years with pastoral care responsibility Local Dental Adviser for Dental Protection including attending GDC Hearings and Probity work in NHS Current member “Probing Dental Stress” group in N.I.
  • Past: LDC Chair, N.I.DPC Chair, Northern Ireland Branch BDA President, Director of the BDA’s PEC for two terms

Dr Ros Keeton

Chairman

  • Trustee since 2008
  • Dental Specialty – Leadership and management of Dental Services
  • County – Shropshire
  • I am an experienced NHS Chief Executive and health care leader who combines a dental background with substantial leadership experience. I am also a Chairman of a specialist hospice and EOL charity Compton Care. I am a passionate and committed advocate for dentists in distress.

Dr Stuart Robson

Trustee

  • Trustee since 2006
  • Dental speciality – A General Dental Practitioner
  • County– North Yorkshire
  • Former President of BDA 1999- 2000, previous Vice-Chairman of BDA Council and also Dental Services Committee. On behalf of North Yorkshire LDC, was organiser and lead of the North Yorkshire PASS (Practitioner Advice and Support Scheme) preventing some dentist with problems having dire financial and professional difficulties.

Dr Bill Creedon

Trustee

  • Trustee since 2014
  • Dental speciality – GDP
  • County – Hampshire

  • I have been in general practice for over 20 years as a practice owner in Southampton. The last four years I have been also working at Kings College, London. I am Chair of the BDA’s Wessex branch and Vice Chairman of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight LDC.