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Testimonials

Hear first hand from people who have benefitted from our support.

If you’ve been helped recently or if you or your family have been supported at any point in the last 140 years, we’d love to hear from you.

I contacted the BDA Benevolent Fund when I was in desperate need for help with my studies, and simply would not be attending university right now if it wasn’t for them. They were thoughtful and caring and most of all, unlike my university hardship fund, they processed my application so quickly when having to drop out of university was imminent. Thank you!
You were a great support to me and I would like to thank you for your help and professionalism throughout the whole affair. Having a kind, sympathetic and understanding ear made a big difference.
I would like to thank you for your help and support. You have helped to transform an existence into a life.
Please accept my heartfelt thanks for this emergency grant. I’m truly not sure how I would have managed otherwise.
To be perfectly honest before I met your general manager, I was seriously considering suicide. I have a very low opinion of the human race, but your response to me has made me reconsider that there are still some decent human beings after all.
Thank you so much again for all your assistance with my application and for keeping me informed throughout the process. I cannot thank you all enough for what you’ve done for me.
This is great news and I am truly humbled for the help provided by the BDA Benevolent Fund. Without the contributions, I would have not been able to get through my final year of studies. Thanking you and the team for all your help and support.
Thank you so much for your email. This is the most fantastic news and it’s going to be such a huge help to me and my ability to continue in my final year of studying. Once again I am so very grateful for the phenomenal generosity of the BDA Benevolent Trustees and I cannot express how thankful I am for this extremely kind donation.”
I am very pleased to say that the conditions on my GDC registration has been removed. I will like to use this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to you and the BDA Benevolent Fund for all the help and support given to me and my family through this difficult time. I really appreciate it.

Request FINANCIAL Help

If you are a dental student, dentist or a dependent, living in the UK and struggling to manage your day to day living costs then apply today for financial assistance.

Get Support in other ways

You can also get support with your wellbeing including counselling, legal and debt advice via our Assistance Programme in partnership with Health Assured through a 24/7 helpline, smartphone app or online wellbeing content.

Ways To Get Involved

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.