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Posted by: Dental Design 26th February 2023

Ibrahim Numan, London & Southeast council member for the British Association of Dental Therapists (BADT), speaks about his career journey, finding the BADT and what the Association means to him:

“Like so many other people I was unsure what to do after I finished University. I had a degree in Biology, but only knew that I wanted to work with people and help them – that’s when I realised dental nursing was a great place to start.

“In 2014, after completing my Diploma in Dental Nursing at the Eastman Dental Hospital, I started working there. During this time, I took radiography training and other skill development courses, which eventually led me to recognise that I wanted to move into dental therapy so that I could advance further in my career and take a more active role in helping people. I didn’t want to go back to university and become a dentist, so dental therapy was the perfect sweet spot.

“I knew that working as a dental therapist would allow me to provide a broad range of treatments and give me the opportunity to work with patients in a new way. I love working with children – and as a dental therapist I can provide all of the care they need, which is really rewarding.

“I’m really lucky to work in a private practice that enables this to be a reality – I know a lot of other dental therapists perform mostly dental hygiene duties, so being a member of the team in a practice that lets me utilise my full scope of practice is a huge plus. I often get asked about this by both dentists and other dental therapists, and it is definitely something that I believe is becoming more of a conversation in the industry, especially with contract reforms on the horizon.”

Ibrahim became a student member of the BADT during his training, opening the doors to where his career has taken him today:

“I first discovered the BADT when I was a student training to become a dental therapist. What really drew me to the Association were the conferences and networking opportunities – it’s amazing to connect with likeminded people and to know that there’s a whole community of professionals out there who understand what it’s like working in dental therapy today. I often think being a dental therapist can be quite a lonely profession, so having a place where we can meet others, talk about work and connect with people who understand what we’re doing is a massive benefit, especially as it also comes with educational opportunities, membership perks and more!”

Currently, Ibrahim is a council member for the BADT – a position he has already utilised to bring about some great changes for the Association:

“I became a council member for the BADT after being told of the opening by a friend. I have a lot of ideas to bring to the table and will hopefully continue to elevate the Association. This is something I’m really passionate about, especially as the Association has really been heavily involved in some of the greatest changes to the profession in recent years. For example, the BADT was the only Association who fought for dental therapists to be included in Direct Access alongside dental therapists – something I don’t think many people are aware of! It’s my goal to ensure that the BADT receives the recognition it deserves, especially among the wider profession.

“I’ve also been working hard to ensure that the BADT has great resources available for everyone. One of my passions is video editing, so I’ve been working on a project where we interview dentists who tell us how they have integrated a dental therapist into their practice, and how this works for their particular business model. Every practice is different, so having a range of real-life experiences available for dentists to view will hopefully allow them to see how having a dental therapist will work for them. This is especially pertinent in light of the upcoming contract reforms – while we don’t know any solid details yet, it’s likely that these will see dental therapists taking on more duties in dental practices, so this will be an excellent tool for dentists and dental therapists alike.”

With a bright future ahead for the BADT, Ibrahim hopes to remain at the forefront of innovation:

“The BADT is such a great shoulder to lean on, and I can’t recommend it to dental therapists and hygienists enough. If you work in the profession and want to connect with other professionals, stay up to date with any changes and conversations in the industry and have your voice heard, it really is invaluable!

To find out more about the BADT, please contact the team today.